Photo: Ridwan Adid Rupon

Bangladeshi folk music evokes a special appeal in terms of its lyrics, philosophies and heart-touching melody. A number of mystique bards of this part of the world created varied folk music genres, inspired by the beauty of rivers, soil and simple lifestyles of this delta. UNESCO declared pioneer mystique bard Fakir Lalon Shai's songs as intangible heritage of the world.
Royal Norwegian Embassy is nourishing the legacy of Bangladeshi folk music in two northern districts – Lalmonirhar and Kurigram under a project titled “Suno” (Hear it), financially supported by a Norwegian friendship organisation “Suno-Norway.”  
Under the title “Uttarer Gaan”, artistes of Arshi Nagar performed in two concerts – one at the main auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum on March 18, evening and another at the Norwegian residence at Gulshan-2 in Dhaka on the following evening.
Cultural Affairs Minster Asaduzzaman Noor, MP graced the opening day's concert as chief guest while Nowegian Ambassador Merete Lundemo were present as a special guest. Wera Saether, who is the musical nucleus of the troupe, presided over the event. Arshi Nagar artistes presented 27 solo and choral folk songs including baul, murshidi, bhatiali, bhawaiya and numbers composed by Fakir Laon Shai, Radharaman and Shah Abdul Karim.
At the second concert, the artistes performed a Lalon song “Barir Pashey Arshi Nagar”, a bhatiali genre “Jibon Nodi'r Majhirey” and a Radharaman song “Ja Diyechho Tumi Amaye'. The troupe swayed the audience with their vibrant rendition of the popular folk song “Sadher Lau”. The artistes wrapped up the programme with performing a Shah Abdul Karim song “Agey Ki Sundar Din Kataitam”.     
“Arshi Nagar is a collaborative project between Norway and Bangladesh, to preserve the cultural heritage, songs and music of Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, with the help of music schools for children of those districts. The children are learning how to sing traditional songs and how to play traditional instruments. Folk music in the cultural heritage plays a very special role in the history of any country, and it is ever-present in the minds of Bangladeshis,” said Nowegian Ambassador Merete Lundemo.
Local troupe Arshi Nagar is running the folk music project in the 17 Gurugriho in the two districts, enabling more than 700 children and youths to learn singing folk songs and playing instruments.
In 1998, Norwegian poet, photographer and writer Wera Saether visited Bangladesh and got mesmerised with rendition by local musicians and together with them, she started an initiative to preserve and develop the folk artistes. In 2005, the effort gave birth to the journey of the troupe Arshi Nagar. Arshi Nagar has a studio based in Lalmonirhat, from where the organisation has released two CDs “Songs of Death and Freedom” and “Binodini” containing 18 folk songs, mostly composed by Fakir Lalon Shai.