‘Agnibinay Notun Protibha’ selects 24 contestants in nationwide talent hunt

What began as a celebration of a decade of promoting Nazrul Sangeet has now turned into a nationwide search for the next generation of performers.

On the occasion of its 10th anniversary, Gems of Nazrul launched “Agnibinay Notun Protibha”, a nationwide talent hunt aimed at discovering young Nazrul Sangeet performers from across Bangladesh and bringing them to a national stage. Organisers describe it as the country’s first nationwide reality-show-style competition dedicated exclusively to Nazrul Sangeet.

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A total of 85 contestants, aged between 15 and 25, from eight regions took part in the initiative. They began with an online orientation programme on August 16, followed by the audition round at The Daily Star building on August 22. After the auditions, 24 contestants were selected to advance in the competition.

For Sadya Afreen Mallick, founding president of Gems of Nazrul and a member of the judging panel, the initiative marks a new step in presenting Nazrul Sangeet.

“What we have done this time has never been done in Bangladesh—or, as far as I know, anywhere else. This is the first reality show dedicated exclusively to Nazrul. It is a major step for us,” she said.

Mallick said the organisers intentionally began on a smaller scale due to limited resources, with hopes of expanding the initiative in the future. She also stressed the importance of creating opportunities for young performers outside Dhaka.

“We are listening to these young performers because we want to see that talent is not limited to Dhaka. There are people practising Nazrul Sangeet outside the capital, but they are not getting the opportunity to come forward. By bringing them into this programme, we want to give them that scope,” she said.

Mallick said the judges focused on several aspects while selecting the contestants, particularly their command over pitch and their adherence to Nazrul’s original melodies.

“There are many versions of Nazrul’s compositions, but we are particularly looking at what we call the ‘Adi Sur’—the original tunes that Nazrul himself composed and sang during his lifetime and that were recorded. We are checking whether the contestants are following those original tunes, whether the melody is correct, and how much they have changed it. We are also looking at their overall presentation,” Mallick added.

The judging panel included Sadya Afreen Mallick; Asit Roy, a professor at the University of Rajshahi; Nazrul Sangeet exponent Yasmin Mushtari; Nazrul Sangeet artiste Shelu Barua; Mahmudul Hasan, a teacher at Jagannath University; Shahid Kabir Polash, a teacher at Nazrul Institute; Bizon Chandra Mistry of Chhayanaut; Priyanka Gope, head of the Department of Music at the University of Dhaka; and Paritosh Mondal of the University of Development Alternative.

Asit Roy, professor at the University of Rajshahi, believes the competition could help bring the richness of Nazrul Sangeet to a wider audience.
“This is the first reality show dedicated to Nazrul Sangeet. We have seen many reality shows on Bengali songs in both India and Bangladesh, but there has never been a reality show centred on Nazrul Sangeet before. We believe Nazrul’s songs deserve a platform of this kind,” he said.

According to Roy, the lack of an appropriate platform has limited the reach of Nazrul Sangeet, despite its musical diversity and lyrical depth.

“To truly appreciate the melodic beauty and depth of its lyrics, we need the right performers and the right presentation,” he said.
The 24 selected contestants will receive further training, much of it online, before the grand finale. Mallick said the organisers also plan to continue working with the young artistes throughout the year, giving them opportunities to learn from experienced music practitioners.
Roy also hopes the programme can eventually adopt the scale and visual appeal of established reality shows.

“If we can find good patrons and secure proper promotion, we would like to present the programme in a way similar to what we have seen on Bengali television and other Indian channels. They create elaborate sets, different designs and bring in musicians and various other elements, which make these programmes very attractive,” he said.

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Gems of Nazrul launches nationwide talent hunt

The organisers have yet to finalise a broadcasting partner, although preliminary discussions have taken place with a channel.
The grand finale of “Agnibinay Notun Protibha” is scheduled to take place in October as part of Gems of Nazrul’s 10th anniversary celebrations.