Bhawaiya Academy beset with manifold problems in Kurigram

Kurigram Correspondent:

Bhawaiya is a very attractive and popular regional song of Rangpur division. Men, women and children of the areas are very fond of this traditional song.
The then Durgapur UP chairman Gelap Uddin Sarkar donated five decimal from his land to set up a musical training center for Bhawaiya songs. The eminent Bhawaiya artist in both Radio and television Bhupoty Bhushan Borma of Ulipur upazila along with local Bhawaiya lovers set up the Bangladesh Bhawaiya Academy in a Corrugated Iron (C.I) shed on 1st October, 1993 at Durgapur union near panchpeer degree college under Ulipur upazila on Kurigram-Chilmari(KC) road side in Kurigram district is beset with manifold problems.
Bhupoty Bhushan Borma the founding director of the Academy told that at present there are 75 of both male and female students and the number of teachers are 8. All the teachers are Radio and TV artists have been teaching the students for free of cost for long. They have no salary.
They teaching of Bhawaiya songs including Dotara, flute, Dhol and Sarinda held among the students two days in a week which Friday and Saturday.
There are two rooms of the academy where one is being used as office and another for class room. There is no wash room causing the students as well as the teachers are being suffered badly. Insufficient musical instruments, furniture and accommodation are hampering music education activities.
In spite of manifold problems the academy is also performing social activities and help to the poor people like warm clothes distribution in the every winter season, assistance to the poor Muslims the eve of holy Eid and Hindu communities in Durgapuja.
Academy sources said the birth and death anniversary of Bhawaiya writer, composer and artists, National days and other important days are being formally observed here regularly.
A stage has been contracted with bricks in the academy premises named after late artist Abbas Uddin stage where songs are presented in every month. “Kasim Uddin Lokshilpo Songroho Sala” set up in 2016 where memorial articles of composer, artist and valiant Freedom Fighter Kasim Uddin locally known as “Bhawaiya Juboraj (Youth)” were kept. His writing of songs, agriculture and others articles were also included there. A total of 1500 articles have been collected which are unable to preserve due to lack of adequate room and those are damaging day by day.
More than 2000 students learnt lesson from this Bhawaiya Academy till now and of them 42 students have been enlisted in Radio and TV. There are also 6 composers.
The students participate in various musical competition in district and divisional level and earned name and fame of the Academy. They are warm reception for contribution of some special activities. They also performed 577 functions till now.
A trimonthly book named Bhawaiya Lok is being published from the Academy regularly where news, views, songs about artists elaborately written there which attract to all.
Bhupoty Bhushan Borma, the founding director of the Academy told that I served in Durgapur high school as assistant head teacher and went to retirement in 2018.I presented Rajjo Bhawaiya songs many times as a guest artist and also performed as a judgment of Bhawaiya competition six times in various places of India including Coochbihar district of West Bengal province in India by the invitation of Indian government.
In addition, Bhupoty along with the then State Minister for Ministry of Cultural Affairs Ashaduzzaman Noor by invitation of Cultural Ministry also joined in the Multi-Cultural Festival in South Korea where a total of 24 countries in the world including Bangladesh participated there. Bhupoty presented there attractive Bhawaiya song. All the foreign audiences were clapping hearing songs.
Bhupoty Bhushan Borma told this correspondent that Bhawaiya is the traditional and attractive songs in greater Rangpur region is also called is our regional songs tell us about love affairs, inviting for marriage, affection, shock and untold words through our grand mother, wife of elder brother (bhabi) etc. which is going on from generation to generation to attract in our mind. The beautiful women is one of the attraction of the song.
The eminent and well known artist in the greater Rangpur region Bhopoty urged to the government, non-government and philanthropists to extend their helping hands as to make an arrangement to construct the only one The Bangladesh Bhawaiya Academy in Kurigram as two storied building including Bhawaiya complex where all facilities including dancing room, class room, conference room, waiting room, Make up room, toilet, bathroom and other facilities will available and the artists will spread Bhawaiya songs with full of joy.