Dhrubo Sadiq | Published: 22:48, Feb 10,2021 | Updated: 17:42, Nov 03,2021

Meghdol members pose for a photo.

Popular band Meghdol, which began its journey in 2003, is known for its songs portraying hyper-reality of city life, human relationship, sufferings of marginalised people and others.

The band has released two albums till date namely Droher Mantre Bhalobasa in 2004 and Shaharbandi in 2009.

In a recent interview with New Age, members of the band Shibu Kumer Shill and Mejbaur Rahman Sumon spoke about the band’s journey, future plans and more.

‘We grew up in this city and it is a well-known fact that art reflects the way a person lives his or her life and that is why we have portrayed those things. We have an album about the city of Dhaka,’ said Shibu Kumer Shil, the vocalist, composer and lyricist of the band Megdol, which also comprises Mejbaur Rahman Sumon on vocal, lyrics, tune and guitar, Rasheed Sharif Shoaib on lead guitar, Amjad Hossain on drums, MG Kibria on bass guitar, Tanbeer Dawood Rony on keyboard and Shourov Sarkar on flute, clarinet and saxophone.

The band’s songs give music lovers a taste of this wild metropolis, the imprints of time on the shabby walls of the city, the memory of the smiling face of a crying child in the slum, people drenched in sweat walking or commuting on buses, and also love and affection that helps urbanites navigate through life.

Meghdol’s popular songs include Amar Sharar, Abar Sharar, Akash Meghe Dhaka, Nirban, Roder Phonta, Megh, Eso Amar Shahare, Chena Achena, Na Bola Phul, Tobu Mon, Maya Cycle and others.

The band began releasing songs from its third album Aluminum-er Dana on its official YouTube channel on March 3, 2018 after a nine-year hiatus. The first song Eso Amar Shahare has garnered over 3,348,624 views till date. The band has released four songs from its upcoming album. More songs from the album are in the pipeline.

‘We felt relieved after releasing new songs, which we were holding onto for years. After Eso Amar Shahare, we released Na Bola Phul, Maya Cycle and Tobu Mon on YouTube. The songs have received huge response from music lovers. We will release more songs from the album gradually,’ said Shibu Kumer Shill, adding, ‘We do not regret the delay in releasing songs as we never plan anything. We also don’t want to calculate how many songs and albums we have released.’

Meghdol has re-mastered and re-released its debut album Droher Mantre Bhalobasa on October 19, 2020.

‘Back then, we recorded the album in analogue format at the recording studio Sound Garden. The studio was popular among leading bands so we were emotionally drawn there for recording our album. Although there was an opportunity to record our songs digitally but we went for the analogue format. We encountered problems when we went to mixing and mastering the songs. We couldn’t complete the process as we had to meet the deadline set by G-series. So we re-mastered and released the album,’ said Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, who is also the music director of the songs Eso Aamr Shahare and Tobu Mon.

Sumon also spoke about the songs Amar Shahar and Abar Shahar.

‘When I wrote the song Amar Shahar, I was a student at fine arts faculty of Dhaka University. The song is based on the movements, that took place in 1952, 1969, 1971, 1990, which I have not witnessed along with many others of my generation. The song makes one wonder when the streets of our city will once again witness the fiery chants and slogans. But, in the song Abar Shahar, I have tried to portray urban life and the love that sustains such a life,’ mentioned Sumon.

Shibu Kumer Shill spoke about Meghdol’s songs portraying love and human relationship.

‘Love is a heavenly thing. Many people have been talking about only love since classical times till now, and people are listening to them with the same interest. Just a few things like love in Urdu literature, wine, Saki, Laili-Majnu have remained with us for hundreds of years. What more can I say about the richness of Urdu literature. We also fall in love after a while. Because love is like an infallible truth just like the emotional residues of lived experience, like the after affect of betrayal and defeat in life,’ ended Shibu Kumer Shill.

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Editor: Nurul Kabir , Published by the Chairman, Editorial Board ASM Shahidullah Khan on behalf of Media New Age Ltd. Hamid Plaza (4th floor), 300/5/A/1, Bir Uttam CR Datta Road, Hatirpool, Dhaka-1205. PABX: +8802-9632245-48. Fax: +8802-9632250, E-mail: [email protected]

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