’90s Bengali music to take centre stage in new Maasranga TV show

Research suggests that the 1990s marked one of the richest chapters in Bangladeshi music, with the audio industry and film songs thriving side by side. Celebrating that golden era, Maasranga Television is launching a new programme titled "Nineties Music Story", which will air every Saturday at 12 midnight.

The first episode will premiere on September 6, featuring singer Agun as the storyteller. The date also coincides with the death anniversary of Agun's close friend, iconic actor Salman Shah. Agun first rose to prominence in 1992 as a playback singer in "Keyamat Theke Keyamat", which also marked Salman Shah's debut. Their friendship blossomed from that film, and Agun went on to lend his voice to most of Salman's songs. The episode will blend music memories with personal reflections about the late actor.

Agun began his career in the early '90s as part of the band, before becoming a popular playback singer. In the show, he revisits cherished memories, speaking emotionally about his father, the legendary composer and music director Khan Ataur Rahman, as well as the late rock icon Ayub Bachchu. He also shares experiences of working in Humayun Ahmed's films and narrates the story behind his hit song Amar Shopnogulo.

The programme is curated by Riyad Shimul and produced by S M Humayun Kabir. Reflecting on the show, Kabir said, "The '90s was one of the golden eras of our music, especially with the explosive rise of band music. In this programme, popular singers and band stars will share their nostalgic stories along with performances. We hope the audience will find it both enjoyable and meaningful."