Nancy demands facilities for playback singers
Entertainment Report :
There are separate organisations for various film-related departments. Several film-related
organisations, including the Artistes’ Association, Directors’ Association, and Producers’ Association, have their offices in the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).
As a result, artistes, directors, producers, and members of related organisations can raise any of their problems and opportunities with the organisation.
They get various opportunities from these organisations. However, the deprived are the artistes of film song (playback song). They don’t have a separate organisation, and they are not even listed in any organisation.
Highlighting the real situation of movie playback artistes, musician Nazmun Munira Nancy has demanded that the Bangladesh government recognise the music-related artistes of the film industry as ‘film artistes’ and increase their facilities.
The musician has posted an open letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Facebook. There, she demanded facilities for movie’s playback artistes. Nancy also lamented that there is no specific room or seating area for artistes in the BFDC.
In that letter, Nancy wrote, “Songs are a powerful tool in this subcontinent, especially in Bengali movies. Since the beginning, our films have been getting publicity, promotion and commercial success through songs.
The artistes involved in film songs, including musicians, lyricists, composers, and music directors, also receive the National Film Award in recognition of their works.
But unfortunately, the singing artistes are not considered under other facilities under the BFDC. We don’t have membership or voting rights in the organisation called ‘Shilpi Samiti’ (Artistes’ Association).
When we enter the BFDC, we see separate rooms for the Directors’ Association, Producers’ Association and Artistes’ Association. But there is no specific place for our rest, refreshment or practice.
Despite playing an essential role in the film medium, there is no seating arrangement for the singers, which is painful for all the artists in the film medium.”
Nancy also wrote, “Even though our singers are invited to any festival or event, we are still extremely neglected in the institutional evaluation of the BFDC.
I have personally raised this issue in various discussions and television interviews, but it has never been directly disclosed through the ministry before.”
Nancy has requested allocation of an office to bridge the gap between playback artistes and BFDC, and ensure their due facilities.