Seventh Citycell-Channel i Music Awards

L-R: Abdul Jabbar receives the Lifetime Achievement Award. It's Yesterday Once More --Anjana, Razzak, Faruque and Rozina serenade the past into the present.

The seventh Citycell-Channel i Music Awards were announced beside the Jamuna river in Tangail on November 25 around the theme 'Shwadhinatar Shure Chollish Bachhar'.
The glittering function was arranged to focus on 40 years of Bangladesh's independence. A large number of stars from the cultural arena in the country and guests from home and abroad as well as thousands of cheering people attended the function.
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement awards, the music awards were in 16 categories.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to renowned singer Abdul Jabbar. Faridur Reza Sagor, managing director of Impress Telefilm Limited, and chief executive of Citycell Mehboob Chowdhury handed over the award (crest and Taka 1 lakh) to him amidst thunderous applause.
According to both Judges' Choice and Popular Choice, winners in different categories were in Rabindra Sangeet: Iffat Ara Dewan (Judges' choice), Nandita Yasmin (Popular choice); in Nazrul Sangeet: Nashid Kamal (Judges' choice), Tanvir Alam Sojib (Popular choice); in folk songs: Kiron Chandra Rai (Judges' choice), Ram Kanai Das (Popular choice); in Modern Songs: Asif Akbar (Judges' choice), Sumona Bardhan (Popular choice); Classical music: Ustad Azizzul Islam (Judges' choice); in Motion Picture Sound Track: Rezwana Chowdhury Bonna (Judges' choice), Bappa Majumder and Kona (Popular choice); in Band Music: De-illumination (Judges' choice), Bohemian (Popular choice); in Songwriting: Julfikar Russel (Judges' choice), Robiul Islam Jibon (Popular choice); in New Artiste(male/female) category: Nahid Sultana (Judges' choice), Nishith Surjo (Popular choice); in Sound Engineering: Bappa Majumder (Judges' choice), Sazzad Arafin (Popular choice); in Cover Design: Towhid Hassan (Judges'choice), Saiful Islam Tareq (Popular choice); in Music Direction: Shafiq Tuhin (Judges' choice), Ibrar Tipu (Judges' choice), Tanvir Tareq (Popular choice); in Music Video: Najmus Sadat (Judges' choice), Gazi Shuvro (Popular choice).
The audience thoroughly enjoyed the songs of Shadin Bangla Betar Kendra, folk, pop, film songs and band songs performed by reputed artistes of the country.
In between intervals of the award distribution, popular singers and artistes of the country as well as artistes from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan gave riveting performances.
To start with, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul, Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, Ferdous Ara, Subir Nandi, Adity Mohsin, Rizia Parvin, Elita, Kona and artistes of Shera kantha and Khude Gaanraj rendered a patriotic song.
Later, members of the bands Uchcharan, Artcell and Sunny led by Ayub Bachchu performed the song “Bangladesh Bangladesh', made part of our history by late Beatles singer George Harrison during the Liberation War of 1971.
Singers Fakir Alamgir, Rafiqul Alam, Sujeo Shayam, Anup Bhattachariya, Rupa Khan, Mala Khan, Uma Khan, Timir Nondi, Bulbul Moholanobish and Kalyani Ghosh presented the Shwadhin Bangla Beter Kendra songs.
Afzal Hossain and Farzana Brownia moderated the events.
Earlier, a 'Bangladesh Mela' was organised beside the river at the same venue.