Filmmaker and cultural adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has welcomed the government’s decision to mark Lalon Shah’s death anniversary as a “Category A” national day, describing it as a long-overdue step towards dismantling Bangladesh’s “intellectual colonisation.”
In a social media post, Farooki argued that colonisation often begins in the mind, when a nation is conditioned to see its own culture as inferior. “Our colonial mindset could never acknowledge Lalon’s songs as high art. They were branded ‘folk,’ a subculture rather than the mainstream. Rock music suffered the same fate, dismissed as ‘counterculture’ instead of being embraced,” he wrote.
He criticised the state for historically neglecting Bangladesh’s cultural wealth, urging the post-2024 government to formally celebrate practices and expressions that already enjoy international stature through people’s participation.
The cabinet has also proposed recognising artist SM Sultan’s birth anniversary as a national day, while considering tributes to Humayun Ahmed and the country’s rock legends.
Farooki stressed that the move represents a shift beyond the traditional Rabindranath-Nazrul framework. “With Lalon, we’ve begun to look outside that frame. This is only the beginning. The day is not far when contemporary masters like Ayub Bachchu will also be celebrated officially.”
He ended with a pointed question: “Must we wait centuries to honour a musician whose songs are sung in every corner of Bangladesh? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.”