Cultural organisation Chhayanaut has brought together representatives from the music and dance departments of 10 universities in a joint initiative aimed at fostering a more harmonious and inclusive society through music.
The initiative was discussed at a morning exchange meeting held on Monday at the Ramesh Chandra Dutt Memorial Auditorium of Chhayanaut Sanskriti Bhaban, where participants agreed to expand music outreach nationwide through voluntary engagement.
Chhayanaut President Dr Sarwar Ali chaired the meeting. A press conference was later held in the afternoon to announce the decisions.
As part of the plan, organisers intend to host a day-long national music conference during the upcoming winter, bringing together educators, students and practitioners from across the country.
The meeting also urged the state to introduce structured music education at all levels of schooling, starting from the primary stage, and to incorporate music-related components into relevant areas of the national curriculum. Participants welcomed the steps already taken by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to introduce music education at the primary level.
“We want to reach more people through music,” Dr Sarwar Ali said. “We will also work on employment opportunities for music students. A large-scale music conference is being planned, where we will promote harmony and social cohesion through songs.”
He added that a coordination committee comprising representatives from the 10 universities will soon be formed to finalise the initiative.
At the press briefing, Dr Priyanka Gop, Chair of the Music Department at Dhaka University, presented a written statement. Chhayanaut General Secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa and Vice-President Partha Tanvir Naved also spoke.
The statement noted that participants shared their experiences, challenges and perspectives on music practice, emphasising the importance of ensuring uninterrupted engagement in the field. It further stated that the collaborative effort should not be a one-off initiative but the beginning of a sustained cultural movement.
Music, the statement observed, is more than entertainment, describing it as a vital element of social formation that fosters connections across languages and cultures while promoting values of harmony, equality and humanity. It also highlighted music’s historical role as a medium of protest and social mobilisation.
Concerns were raised about what participants described as “anti-music” attitudes in certain quarters, which they said have created apprehension within the cultural sphere. They cited alleged attacks on traditional music traditions and organisations such as Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi and the Baul community.
The initiative centres on using music as a tool to build a humane, aesthetic and conscious society, ensuring an enabling environment for artistic practice and identifying pathways to sustain and expand musical engagement.
Priyanka Gop said participants resolved to work collectively to promote peace and social harmony through music, including the development of volunteer groups of young students who will help disseminate the correct rendition of the national anthem, patriotic songs, songs of awakening and harmony, and seasonal Bengali music among the public.
Representatives from multiple universities, including Jagannath University, Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, attended the meeting along with Chhayanaut leaders.
