“Rabindra Sangeet in Bangladesh today is better than it had ever been” - Fahim Hossain Chowdhury

With an illustrious career spanning over four decades, the famed Rabindra Sangeet exponent Fahim Hossain Chowdhury will add another feather to his hat today when he receives the prestigious 'Bangla Academy Rabindra Award 2018'.  The award is given every year to luminaries in the field of Rabindra Sangeet. In this interview with The Daily Star, the singer talks about his reaction to getting the award, his career and the current state of the industry.

We would like to congratulate you on winning the Bangla Academy Rabindra Award 2018. What were your reactions when you first got to know about this tremendous achievement?

Thank you very much. It was really surprising for me and my family is very excited for this. They will accompany me when I go to Bangla Academy today to receive the award.

You have been singing for over four decades now. How much does this award mean to you?

As an artist, I think the biggest achievement is to have been able to sing for so long and obviously, the respect and adoration of the fans. That being said, an award as prestigious as this brings me great joy. We all know that it is quite difficult for an artiste in Bangladesh to survive only doing music, so it is important that they are given the respect that they deserve through such awards. I am thankful to Bangla Academy for this honour.

Today, many young artistes are interested in Rabindra Sangeet. Do you think the future of the art is in safe hands?

I am very confident that the state of Rabindra Sangeet in Bangladesh today is better than it had ever been. Previously, there weren't enough teachers but thankfully, this isn't the case anymore. We have enough institutions and talented teachers. However, I will say that this sector lacks proper sponsorship, and the artistes still are not able to earn a livelihood through singing alone. Besides this, I believe that we are on par with West Bengal when it comes to sheer talent alone.