Zahidul Haque Apu

Photo: courtesy

Zahidul Haque Apu, or more commonly and lovingly known as RJ Apu, has stepped on many stones towards following his passion.  He started off into the world of arts and entertainment as soon as he realised it to be something he wanted in his life, which was luckily at a very early age.

“When I was in Government Laboratory School, I met my best friend Rana. Together we shared a passion for music and having realised it early on, were eager to do something about it!” shares Apu.

The two youngsters set out to make music. Only in class 6, Rana and Apu decided to start a band in which Apu played guitar. His mother then admitted him into Shishu Academy to learn the guitar. “But then I realised, as I went to my first class that it was a class for the Hawaiian guitar!” He still learned to play the guitar for four years. “The most important thing I had taken away from the class though was the importance of having the academics into what you learn, even if the subject is cultural. That discipline that you get in class is something you can't give yourself,” he says.

In 1997, Apu, along with his friend Rana, started playing in bands. “It was a trend to be a freelance artist then. So we'd jam with many people. I would usually play the keyboards during the jam sessions. In one of them, we met Rumi bhai, from the legendary band, Aurthohin,” he says. Being invited to their jamming pad, Apu and Rana went on to meet famous Bangladesh bassist, Shumon, aka Bassbaba. “I bonded with Shumon bhai quite wonderfully and it was through him that I had my real exposure in the media.”

Apu then formed his first band Triloy, while still playing as a guest keyboardist for other bands, and also consequently released an album called 'Shunbo'. “That was when my career hit off,” hesays.

Soon after, he got involved in a television project called RockLink, a rock music show.  “While I was at RockLink, I met Arafat Kazi, who told me about a job as a Radio Jockey for a new radio station- Radio Foorti. I was quite apprehensive at first, but then I thought to give it a shot. I took on the challenge mostly because it was related to music. Then I began the morning show 'Dhaka Calling'.” He went on to become the producer of the show and secured a permanent spot in Radio Foorti, and also in the hearts of the listeners, as the beloved RJ Apu. He then became the Station's Senior Producer, then National Programme Manager, and then Regional Station Head for the Chittagong Station. After an 8 year long stint, Apu left Radio Foorti, signing off with his show 'Dhaka Calling'.

Despite already finishing his graduation from New Model College in Commerce, Apu found an interest in Graphic Design. He went on to obtaining an online degree on Video Communication. He then took a job in Ogilvy and Mather as Creative Head. “But while I was there, I realised that even though graphic designing was immensely cool, it was equally difficult! I started missing the radio then.” Apu remembered the amount of time he had invested in the radio. After a year in Ogilvy and Mather, Apu joined Radio Dhol, the soon-to-be-launched station. RJ Apu came back and this time, with more ideas and experience to implement!

“Radio Dhol is the station that's going to have a personality of its own. It's going to be the first ever genre-based radio station. We thought about the people, we thought about the youth. What genre defines the youth? Rock n' Roll, of course!”

Radio Dhol is to be launched in Mid-November in station 94.0FM, as the first ever, full-on rock music station in Bangladesh. With a new design, new perspective and a whole lot of spunk, RJ Apu has proved to his listeners that he's always going to be there to play their favourite music.