Bangladeshis Continue Debate On Whether Hindi Songs Are Kosher For Ushering New Year
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Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Published On: 2008-05-14
Hindi songs on Pahela Baishakh
Ahmad Ferdous Bin Alam, Department of CSE, DU
This is in response to the letter of Mr. Nazmus Saquib in DS on May
12, 2008 regarding the above issue.
He said that James performed Hindi songs on incessant requests from
his fans in that concert. I have to reiterate - with popularity comes
responsibility. A singer is not supposed to swallow every request of
his fans. He must have sense of appropriateness and should have
reminded his fans of the spirit of an occasion that signifies the
identity, culture and tradition of our Bengali nation, instead of
gleefully singing Hindi songs.
Nevertheless, I do agree that we should not be complacent with our
'patriotism of one day'. Add to that, patriotism is felt in the way we
act, no matter on an occasion or in our day-to-day life.
My dissent with Mr. Saquib lies in the sense of appropriateness. I
think performing Hindi songs in a concert arranged on the occasion of
Pahela Baishakh was inappropriate. Mr. Saquib thinks it was alright.
Both of us have made our points clear and I hope the matter ends here.