Photo: STAR

Walking by the narrow lane of Haji Osman Gani Road in old Dhaka one will spot a few shops displaying an array of cornets, trumpets and rattles hanging from the walls.

Side drums and beat drums stacked up neatly in showcases while drumsticks hanging from a pin on the wall.

These shops belong to the few remaining bands still representing the regal past of Dhaka.

Big trumpets hanging on shops' signboards greet customers with a view to obtaining an order for arranging a band performance to celebrate their important events.

There was a time when this lane was flanked by many band outlets where customers flocked round the day to hire them for an imposing demonstration of loud music using drums, cornets and trumpets.

Manjur Hossain, owner of Dhaka Band Party, one of the oldest bands in the city, was sitting on a bench in his shop waiting for a customer when this correspondent approached him.

“Even a decade ago there were at least ten shops in this alleyway but now only three are left,” said Manjur while sipping morning tea.

Some of his co-workers were sitting idle in the shop.

During the days of the Nawabs bands were a customary feature in the wedding parties and other royal occasions.

But with the advent of modern ways to celebrate weddings, like video camera and jam session by local groups, the tradition of arranging bands is on the wane.

Manjur is in this profession for the last thirty years. His shop once belonged to his grandfather Band Master Lalu Mia during the Nawab's period, to his father in the Pakistan period and now to him after the independence.

“When I started this profession there were plenty of orders. A few years ago we used to get 20 orders a month but now we have orders for 4/5 days only,” he said.

However, in recent times a fashion of hiring bands for wedding parties has started among the residents of posh areas like Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi.

“But in most cases they hire the bands of police or BDR. It is a matter of status for them,” said Manjur.

With the waning demand the earning of these bands plummeted drastically and many of them find it difficult to survive solely on it.

“In previous times it was possible to run a family even with an earning of Tk 500 a month but today one can hardly think of it,” said Md Ibrahim, proprietor of Bangladesh Band Party and grandson of Band Master Kalu Mia who once owned this shop.

Around ten years ago the bands had around 100 to 150 fulltime players but now they have only a few as many of them left the profession because of meagre living and uncertainty.

“Now I have the mobile numbers of only 20 who can be contacted when we have an order. But they are also engaged in other jobs to cope with the soaring prices of essentials,” said Ibrahim.

Many of the former band players now maintain their families by pulling rickshaw-vans, running tea and betel leaf stalls or groceries.

Playing band at the meetings and processions of political parties were a big source of income for them but with the imposition of the state of emergency this source has also dried up.

Md Shakil, a band player working under Ibrahim, said even a year ago he used to earn around Tk 4,000 a month which could sustain his family.

“But now I earn only Tk 2,000 a month which is barely any amount in this market of soaring prices where I have to buy firewood at Tk 7 a bundle and edible oil at Tk 100 per litre.

“Besides, we cannot perform at meetings of Khaleda and Hasina which kept us afloat around two years ago.

“So I do whatever job I get to sustain my family -- starting from the work of day-labourer to those of cook and decorators,” he said.

But the owners cannot do lowly jobs because of their social position and other reasons.

“I am one who can't leave this profession for something else because this is the only thing I have learnt,” said Manjur.

Asked about the musical instruments Manjur said he still uses the instruments dating back to the time of his grandfather Lalu Mia.

According to Ibrahim the business suffered a big blow after the August 21 grenade attack as people are now afraid of revelry and merrymaking.

“Many of my customers cancelled orders in the last minute this Pahela Baishakh due to fear or for not getting permission to arrange the programme because of emergency,” he said.

However, some quaint traditions of old Dhaka still demand the existence of these bands. The players are still seen accompanying the Borjatra or bridal party during wedding ceremony and celebrating circumcision or Musalmani.

According to the tradition, the circumcised boy's maternal grandfather presents him yogurt and fishes for the occasion while a band from his paternal grandfather's house goes to the place to bring the boy home performing loud music all the way.

Abul Hossain, a resident of Lalbagh and an old customer of bands, came to a shop to hire a team for the circumcision ceremony of his grandson.

“As a paternal grandfather it is my status symbol and matter of pride to send a band to the maternal grandfather's place,” said Abul, who still strives to uphold the cherished traditions of old Dhaka.