However, Arif became used to listening to recitation on Akashvani, Kolkata, and the gramophone records. Eminent reciters like Kazi Shabyashachi, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, Nirmal Kumar and Shambhu Mitra fascinated him immensely. 'Subconsciously, I developed a taste for the art form,' he recalls.

When Arif was in class five, he started learning Tagore music in Arjo Sangeet Protisthan, a music school, for seven years. He took lessons from Ustad Nirod Barua and also gave musical performances on radio and television.

Arif grew up in Chittagong until the Liberation War. Here he started his recitation of geetinatya (musical drama) at the Muslim Institute Hall of Chittagong in 1968.

Arif, also a freedom-fighter, joined the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 1972. In the BUET campus, he started recitation seriously. To quote Arif, 'At that time I was getting more interested in recitation than music, because I did not have time to practise.'

In 1973, Arif made his debut as a reciter in television. He recited the poem Maron (Death) of Rabindranath Tagore in that programme produced by Ali Imam. 'The programme helped me to be recognised as a reciter,' Arif says. From 1975, Arif began to work on a regular basis on stage and radio. He says, 'Reciter Ashraful Alam helped me to work in the radio.'

At the beginning of his career Arif was influenced by Kazi Shabyashachi. 'But later I developed my own style,' he says.

Kazi Arif is one of the founders of the Abritti Sangshad, the first recitation organisation in Bangladesh. Its first performance was Hajar Tarer Beena, the first performance of recitation for tickets.

Patroput--Arif's first album on recitation--was launched in 1980. 'It was also the first album on recitation in Bangladesh,' claims Arif. Then in 1997 he launched another album entitled Baijayanti with his wife Pragya Laboni.

One of the most memorable milestones in the life of Kazi Arif is his participation in the 'Kabipranam' programme in Kolkata three times since 1999.

Arif is contented to have been a part of the 'Barshabaran' programme of Chayyanaut for the last two years. He also cherishes the memory of reciting with eminent reciters such as the late Golam Mustafa and Hasan Imam.

Comparing recitation practices in Bangladesh and Kolkata, Arif observes, 'Despite the similarity in language we differ in subject and theme. All the movements and struggle of our nation are reflected in our poetry.

'Our recitation also captures the patriotic mood which is absent in the recitation of Kolkata. They recite only for the sake of practising an art but ours is something beyond a mere stage show and we are more committed to our purpose,' Arif proclaims. He is however of the opinion that 'The Kolkata artistes work in more detail than us.'

About the state of contemporary recitation Arif says, 'Though there are many recitation performers in our country, the quality needs improvement. If the younger generation works seriously they will be successful. They need more time, study and practice.'