Folk Fest to make a grand comeback after five-year hiatus

After a five-year hiatus, Folk Fest, an annual programme celebrating Bangladesh's vibrant folk music heritage, is set to make its grand comeback. Director of Finance Asifuzzaman Khan at Sun Communications Ltd, confirmed the news to Prothom Alo, stating that preparations are underway and more details will be revealed in an official press conference soon.

The Dhaka International Folk Fest began in 2015 at Dhaka's Army Stadium with much fanfare and continued annually until 2019. It quickly garnered international attention, as the event aimed to spread Bangla folk music globally. 

"We called it the Dhaka International Folk Fest to share Bangla music with the world. Thanks to platforms like television, Facebook, and YouTube, people from across the globe can watch this event and know it's happening right here in Dhaka," organisers explained. 

"If we had focused solely on local artistes, the scope of the festival wouldn't have expanded the way it did. The inclusion of international performers has helped the festival spread worldwide, not only elevating the prominence of folk music but also enhancing Bangladesh's image globally," they continued.

The festival didn't take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been on hold since. However, sources confirm that this year's Folk Fest will once again feature both local and international artistes. 

A Sun Communications official, speaking anonymously, shared, "While I don't have concrete details to disclose much more yet, discussions are underway to bring back this beloved folk music festival. From the start, it has been incredibly popular among people across the country, and everyone is eager for its return. If all goes well, this year's festival will be even grander than ever before, with a lineup that promises exciting surprises."

Another official involved with the event added, "We are still in the planning stages, so there's no solid information to release at this time. But we are doing everything we can to bring the festival back, and we're confident that people will enjoy it as much as they did before, if not more. Expect a bigger, more spectacular event than in previous years."

In a related conversation with Bangla Tribune, COO Ajay Kumar Kundu of Mediacom Ltd, also spoke about the festival's return, noting, "Due to various reasons, we couldn't host the event over the last five years. But now, we're actively discussing how to bring it back. Although I can't confirm anything yet, the Folk Fest team is working hard, and we should have more updates soon. There are a lot of approvals and logistical considerations involved."

Since its inception in 2015, the Dhaka International Folk Fest has seen participation from 500 artistes across 17 countries. The last edition, held from November 14 to 16, 2019, featured performances from a wide range of artistes. Representing Bangladesh were Shah Alam Sarkar, Shafiqul Islam, Malek Kawal, Fakir Shahbuddin, Kajol Dewan, Chandana Majumdar, and Kamruzzaman Rabbi, among others. 

International performers included Chveneburebi from Georgia, Hina Nasrullah from Pakistan, Habib Koité & Bamada from Mali, Sattuma from Russia, and Junoon from Pakistan.

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