‘Coke Studio’ officially launched in Bangladesh

Celebrated musical franchise 'Coke Studio' has finally opened its doors to Bangladesh. 'Coke Studio Bangla' hosted a lavish opening ceremony at a 5-star hotel in the capital on Monday.

The venue was festive with the presence of prominent faces of the music industry, including the likes of Arnob, Tahsan, Momotaz Begum and Ankhi Alamgir, among many others. State Minister for Cultural Affairs, KM Khalid, and Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT Division were present as special guests at the programme. The event started with a special performance by Prachayanat, performing dance renditions of famous folk songs such as "Milon Hobe Koto Dine" and "Garial Bhai". "When I saw Gousul Alam Shaon's post with Arnob in Facebook, I immediately went to their studio and listened to Tahsan and Arnob's magic," said Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for the ICT Division. "I was really impressed with the brilliant production. Coke Studio Bangla has honoured us this February, a month in which we celebrate our mother tongue, by including the Bangla alphabet in their logo." KM Khalid, State Minister for Cultural Affairs, echoed the sentiment, thanking the organisers for bringing the world-renowned franchise to Bangladesh, in the month of February. "We have witnessed Coke Studio in both India and Pakistan, but this time, we wanted to highlight our beautiful language with it", said Gousul Alam Shaon, the Managing Director for Grey Dhaka. 

At the forefront of this project is Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, who directed the music for all the songs that will release through Coke Studio Bangla. "I am really thankful to Coca Cola and Grey for helping me with this project," he says. "We worked with different musicians for 2 months to create something wonderful and diverse." A promo video was shown during the programme, featuring stunning renditions of the songs "Pakhi," "Amar Moner Manush re" and "Ekla Cholo Re". The first season of 'Coke Studio Bangla', which focuses on the beautiful folk heritage of Bangladesh, was shot on the second floor of a private TV channel. Noted musicians Bappa Mazumder, Samina Chowdhury, Momotaz Begum, Pantho Kanai and Dilshad Nahar Kona, among many others, have shot for the exciting project. The launching ceremony was followed by musical performances by the artistes involved in the project. The inaugural season of Coke Studio will be aired mid-February. Season 1 will contain 10 songs, with a few additional ones to be launched to celebrate festive occasions.