‘Artistes were never valued in this country, and still aren’t,’ says Sabina Yasmin

Legendary singer Sabina Yasmin has voiced sharp criticism over the way artistes are treated in Bangladesh, saying, "Artistes were never valued in this country, and still aren't. If those who run the state neither understand nor value music, then there is nothing we (artistes) can do. Nothing can be forced."

Speaking to Channel i on Monday afternoon at a recording session for a new song at a Moghbazar studio in Dhaka, Yasmin drew a striking comparison with India. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi bows at the feet of Lata Mangeshkar, but here in our country artistes are ignored. Look at where they've elevated music by showing respect. Did we ever receive such recognition officially? We had such great artistes among us. Especially male singers—hardly any remain. Among women, a few are still here."

Photos: Collected

The National Award–winning singer lamented that the works of iconic voices such as Andrew Kishore and Subir Nandi were never properly archived. "Some of their songs should have been preserved in our national archive. But no one thought about it. Recently, Farida Parveen quietly passed away—will we ever have another artiste like her? It's our misfortune."

Despite her broader frustrations, Yasmin insisted she harbors no personal regrets. "I am grateful to everyone in the film industry for what they've given me," she said.

On the issue of royalties, however, she was clear: "In other countries, artistes benefit from royalties, but here no proper system exists. Unless the government pays attention, this won't improve. Think of how much better off the families of artistes like Abdul Alim or Rahman Boyati would have been if royalties had been in place. If the system worked, singers could live without fear for the future."

Photo: Collected

Earlier this month, on September 4, Yasmin celebrated her birthday with a special programme hosted by Channel i. As part of the celebration, agriculturalist and television host Shykh Seraj released a documentary film on her life titled "Jui Phool", broadcast on Channel i and streamed on OTT platform iScreen.

Sabina Yasmin, who began her playback career in the 1960s, remains one of the most celebrated voices in South Asia, yet her words underscore a painful truth in Bangladesh: respect for artistes still lags behind their contribution.