Renowned Bangladeshi singer Monir Khan has made a significant comeback to Bangladesh Betar, breaking a 15-year long silence imposed during the previous Awami League government.
Monir Khan, who faced a career setback due to political affiliations during the Awami League's tenure, has been actively involved in the music industry for decades. However, he was marginalised and denied opportunities to perform on national platforms during that period.
Speaking to the media, Monir revealed that he has recorded four songs for Bangladesh Betar since the formation of the interim government. The latest addition to his repertoire is an anti-discrimination song, which he recorded on September 25.
“The song was recorded at the radio studio on Monday,” Monir said. “The lyrics are written by Munshi Wadud, and the music is composed by Maksud Jamil Mintu. It's a beautiful song."
The singer further expressed his gratitude towards the interim government for providing him with the opportunity to contribute to the nation's cultural landscape.
The singer said, “We had a little less time to record the song, but it was enough. And needless to say, the song turned out exceptionally well. Even more importantly, during the recording of the 'anti-discrimination' song, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination movement and our interim government's Information and Broadcasting Advisor, Nahid Islam was present. He liked the song as much as we did.”
In his career he has released 42 solo albums and more than 300 duet and mixed albums. He has won Bangladesh National Film Awards for three times as the Best Male Playback Singer for his performance in the films "Premer Tajmahal", “Laal Doriya” and Dui Noyoner Alo.
Monir Khan's return to state-run radio signifies a positive shift in the country's cultural landscape, as artists are now being given the opportunity to express themselves without political interference. His comeback has been widely welcomed by his fans and the music industry as a whole.