BNP is using ‘Prothom Bangladesh’ without permission, claims singer and composer

The singer and composer of popular patriotic song ‘Prothom Bangladesh Amar Shesh Bangladesh’ have claimed that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP has used it as its party anthem without permission.

Saimum Saadbdnews24.com
Published : 23 June 2018, 06:56 AM
Updated : 23 June 2018, 06:57 AM

Singer Shahnaz Rahmatullah and composer Alauddin Ali said the BNP has used the song for last forty years without their approval.

“It is not a party song. I did not sing this song for any party”, singer Rahmatullah told bdnews24.com.

She said she first sang this song in the late seventies for Bornali, a popular musical event of Bangladesh Television or BTV produced by Nawazish Ali Khan. Later it became a most popular song of Bangladesh.

“How did it become the BNP’s party anthem?”, asked Rahmatullah, the singer of many patriotic songs such as ‘Ek Nadi Rakta Periye’, ‘Ekbar Zete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye’, ‘Ektara Tui Desher Kotha Bolre Ebar Bol’ and many others.

She said, “It is a patriotic song. I have spoken about my country through this song. Here I mentioned the words, `Amar Aginay Chharano Bichhano’ that represents the image of my country. Then how did it come to be a song for the BNP?”

Alauddin Ali, the composer of this song, made similar comments.

He told bdnews24.com that he do not know how and when it became BNP song.

“I only learned about it later.”

“Nobody asks me for permission to use my song… they just do as they please. Nobody took permission … nor do they give thanks.”

Singer Shahnaz Rahmatullah and composer Alauddin Ali

Moniruzzaman Monir, lyricist of the song, is a leader of BNP’s cultural wing JASAS. bdnews24.com was unable to reach him for comment.

In an article published several years ago Monir wrote that then President Ziaur Rahman called him twice and spoke to him about the song after it was broadcast on 'Bornali'. He also appointed Monir as an officer of Shilpakala Academy during a time when the lyricist was  unemployed.

At that time Zia had declared the song a party anthem and Monir became famous as the president’s beloved lyricist.

The song is used by the BNP on its party website. The names of the singer, lyricist and composer were also written there.

Shahnaz Rahmatullah said, she did not know about any contact between Ziaur Rahman and Moniruzzaman Monir over the issue. She had no contact with the lyricist after the eighties, she said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, along with JASAS leaders, did not make any comments when asked about the use of the song.

Jafor Reza Chowdhury, registrar of Copyright Office, told bdnews24.com that, it is a violation of copyright act to use any song without any written document involving the singer and composer. 

“They have to collect a written document from three of them to use this song, otherwise the music team can file a criminal case.”

 

On the other hand, the registrar officer of Copyright Office could not confirm the song was registered according to the copyright act.

“We cannot do anything they did not register the song under the copyright act’, said copyright officer Jafar.