'Popular songs' getting an electoral twist

The city corporation election is around the corner and Dhaka is prepping up with series of posters, banners and loud promotional songs.

Popular songs are given an "electoral twist" with a change in their lyrics and microphones are blaring with them all day. The deafening volume is causing nothing but irritation for citizens.    

As part of promotional activities, the parody songs are being played everywhere in the city to glorify the candidates and their designated symbols.

Songs by artists such as Momtaz, Subir Nandi, Ayub Bachchu, Baby Naznin and Monir Khan are adapted with colourful lyrics to vye for voters' attention. These blustering songs have now infiltrated the digital doors of social media.  

Voters are sure to become baffled when they hear these songs, which are turned upside down with hilarious, yet catchy, phrases. " Ailo gelo koto bhai, Unnoyoner belay nai/ Omuk bhai, Tomuk bhai, Cholen shobai bhuila jai/ Apa/ Bhai er salam nin.....markay vote din"  is sure to get stuck inside your brain!  

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As catchy as these songs are, people have been showering words of frustration against the noise pollution they are creating in social media platforms. SSC contestants are especially suffering from the continuous noise.

Gazi Mazharul Anwar, famous lyricist and music composer, said, "It all depends on people's preferences. Individuals have the right to determine whether they can use their own creativity, or depend on others for musical inspiration. However, campaigners need to ensure that the promotional activities remain sober, so that voters are not annoyed by them."  

Musician Kumar Bishwajit gave a contrasting view on this. He said, "This has become a part of our culture. People try to adapt famous songs to gain the attention of voters. I mean, why would people listen to songs that do not appeal to them?."

"Parody songs only become a problem when they are used for commercial purposes." added the musician.

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Registrar for Bangladesh Copyright Office Zafar Raja Chowdhury also revealed the same thing. "As long as no one is filing an official complaint, we cannot do anything. A music composer has the right to complain against the use of their songs. But it is also true that distortion of any song or change in its lyrics falls under the periphery of copyright infringement."

"If someone is found guilty, they have to serve a prison time from 6 months upto 4 years and pay a fine of 50 thousand upto 2 lakhs. " he added.

These "parody songs" are produced in studios located in areas such as Moghbazar, Bijoy Nagar and Bangabandhu Stadium, which are hardly used by anyone.

There have been instances when the same song was used for different candidates by just changing the ward number and the symbol. Contestants are using tunes from songs such as " Khairun lo", "Ammajan", "Morar Kokile" and "Ami toh bhala na" to catch people's attention.

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An annoymous record studio owner revealed that " a lot of the contestants come to us for recording. Some select their songs, while others depend on our choices. All we have to do is just change the lyrics. Most of the times, the participants write the lyrics, and then we decide which tune to add with it."

Dhaka South and North City Corporation voting will start from February 1. The promotions began from January 10 and will continue till 30 of the month.