http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=36057
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Monday, May 12, 2008 07:17 AM GMT+06:00 Letters
Pahela Baishakh & Hindi songs
Nazmus Saquib, Dept. of English, Stamford University
This is once again in response to the letter of Mr. Ahmad Ferdous Bin
Alam published in DS under the above title on 7th May.
I don't understand why he is trying to make an unnecessary argument
over a simple matter. I made my point very clear by saying that James
didn't commit any mistake by singing Hindi songs on a Pahela Baishakh
concert, simply because his intention was not to hurt the sentiments
of the audience, rather the audience present on that concert were
requesting him consistently to sing Hindi songs. Being a born and
professional singer, he just obliged to the request of the audience.
As songs have neither religion nor any language, so we shouldn't take
a parochial view of the matter.
Moreover, if we stop listening to Hindi songs on Pahela Baishakh, then
why not on 21 February, 16 December and 26 March? It doesn't make any
sense to me why people are always eager to show off even a serious
thing like patriotism.
Patriotism is something which should come naturally, showing our true
Bengalee identity by stopping Hindi songs on one particular day or
some particular occasions will not make us great to the rest of the
world. We all love our country and love our language and therefore we
know how to value others' language and culture as well. The bottom
line is that respect to our mother tongue should come from within
ourselves.
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