| BanglaScot News |
Poush Mela in Dhaka British Council, 5 Fuller Road on Friday 22 December 2006 from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. Poush Mela in Dhaka was the launch pad for BanglaScot in Dhaka. Big effort by the local group, friends from Prachyanat Theatre, from the British Council, the welcome visit of artist-in-residence Kimho Ip and support from Melange Networksaw a very succesful event enjoyed by a diverse audience. For a fuller report click here. |
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Cage Early in the New Year, Dhaka group, Joler Gaan are to launch 'Cage' their first CD. Largely recorded on Easdale Island off the west coast of Scotland, one track picks up the sounds of the ocean outside. On another track you just pick up the sound of the sea birds. 'Cage' is very much a Bangladeshi album with some of the countries best loved songs and tunes. Joler Gaan is Rahul Das - vocals/flute/tara/horn, Mohammad Atiqul Islam Kanak - vocals/ dotara, Al Fahmi Kazi Bashar (Kaartik) – vocals/guitar, Mohammad Saiful Islam (Jarnal) – vocals/percussion. Colin Blakey from Easdale plays silver flute in ‘Lalon’ and Bodhran (hand drum) in 'Boatman Song'. This CD is the outcome of the growing artistic collaboration between Bangladesh and Scotland. |
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Nobel Peace Prize Awarded BanglaScot's Scottish Chair of Trustees, Dr Wali Tasar Uddin MBE has expressed his great pleasure on behalf of everyone in the Foundation in Dhaka and Edinburgh on the wonderful news of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Dr Muhammed Yunus. Writing on behalf of his consulate, Dr Uddin who is Honorary Consul of Bangladesh expressed how much the entire Scottish Bangladeshi community are proud of this well-deserved award. New Age Dhaka reported, 'Professor Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank have been awarded Nobel peace prize this year for their contribution to sustainable peace through poverty reduction initiatives based on small credit schemes. Yunus is the first ever Bangladeshi, and the third Bengali, to win the most coveted global recognition. Poet Rabindranath Tagore won Nobel prize for literature in 1913 and economist Amartya Sen for economics in 1998'. |
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Kimho Ip from Scotland at Poush With support from the Scottish Arts Council, Kimho Ip is to be in Dhaka undertaking professional development. Kimho is a leading composer and musician on the Scottish scene. His visit coincides with the Poush event and he will be collaborating with Prachyanat Theatre's Emon (Toufikul) Islam on theatrical and musical aspects of the launch. He is keen to meet up with diverse contributors to the Dhaka theatre and music scene. Photo: Kimho (left) leads workshop at Sufi Festival |
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Artists Residencies If you are involved professionally in the arts and would like to help BanglaScot establish exchange-based residencies, please complete and return our questionnaire. Information from this questionnaire will be used to develop schemes that offer opportunities to artists and at the same time advance our aims. Initially we are principally interested in responses from Bangladesh and Scotland based artists, but if you are from another country please and wish to give your views, please feel free to do so.
Photo: Marc Marnie
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Pahela Baishak in Edinburgh Plans are now underway for a first ever Pahela Baishakh event in Edinburgh. It is planned to hold the celebration in the city centre and involve all the communities that celebrate this spring festival. It won't be as big as Pahela Baishakh in Dhaka (photograph) but it should be as warm and colourful. Watch for further details and if you wish to get involved please click here |
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Joler Gaan Tour in the UK Joler Gaan (music of water) - the name itself portrays its characteristics, virtues and nature. In the rivers inundating Bangladesh, different and diversified symphonies are webbed throughout the country as the streams of water flow. At the Tramway in Glasgow Joler Gaan played the roles of troubadours of old, playing around the Sufi Festival site – including by the flowing water feature in the seclusion of the Tramway’s ‘Hidden Garden’. In Edinburgh they treat late-night festivalgoers to an evening of Bangladeshi music and songs as well as appearing at the Islamic Art Exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland. In the community hall on Easdale Island off the West Coast of Scotland, there was Bangladeshi food and the sound of flowing water outside. The tour concluded at London Mela. |
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BanglaScot Launch in Edinburgh The launch of the Foundation took place in April 2006 as part of the celebration in Edinburgh of Bangladesh Independence Day. Young people from the Bangladeshi and other communities rehearsed and produced a short Fashion Show as part of the cultural programme. Choreography was by Safwat Gani, supported by volunteers from Melange Network and trustees. The show was a highlight of the Independence Day event and brought some young people into direct contribution to this community event.
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