United News of Bangladesh

Coke Studio Bangla unveils the Season 3 finale with a stirring, contemporary evocation of the revered Sufi classic ‘Mast Qalandar’, rendered by Bangladesh's cherished luminary Runa Laila. Arriving on 16 November – on the threshold of her birthday – this release is an intimate homage to a voice that has shaped the subcontinent’s musical imagination and holds enduring reverence in Bangladesh’s cultural heart. Re-envisioned and produced by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob and Adit Rahman, this version blends the contemplative spirit of timeless Qawwali with the distinct contours of Bangladesh’s musical heritage. The track begins with a poignant Bangla verse by Hason Raja, rendered with aching tenderness by Makhon Mia, before unfurling into a luminous fusion of Sufi gravitas, folk earthiness, and contemporary craft. The piece assembles a cross-generational ensemble featuring stalwarts like Foad Nasser Babu alongside Coke Studio Bangla’s new-wave voices, crafting a sonic tapestry that feels both nostalgic and fresh. ‘‘Mast Qalandar’’ occupies a cherished place in Runa Laila’s storied legacy. With a career spanning more than six decades and performances in over 18 languages, she has served as a cultural conduit, linking Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the wider South Asian diaspora. This rendition bows to the version made indelible by her voice, now tenderly reintroduced for a new generation through Coke Studio Bangla. Read more: Top 10 Netflix Originals Releasing in December 2025 Reflecting on the piece, Runa Laila shared that, “Mast Qalandar has always been close to my heart. To perform it again in a new style alongside younger musicians has been a rewarding experience, and I am happy that this song finds life across generations.” As curator, singer, and composer, Shayan Chowdhury Arnob has led Coke Studio Bangla’s artistic compass since its inception, cultivating a space where inheritance and innovation converse. His collaboration with producer and composer Adit Rahman, celebrated for modern arrangements in Shondhatara, Nasek Nasek and Bhober Pagol, delivers a contemporary yet deeply soulful coda to Season 3. Speaking about the song, Arnob said, “This song carries the weight of memories, devotion, and cultural selfhood. Bringing Runa Laila apu’s voice back into this enduring anthem stands as a moment of collective pride for all of us. ‘Mast Qalandar’ is more than music, it is a living bridge between those who have loved, learned and lived with it.” A tribute to heritage, voice, and culture, ‘Mast Qalandar’ emerges as a resonant finale to Season 3 of Coke Studio Bangla. Read more: Café: Coke Studio Bangla Presents A Timeless Fusion of Heartbeats and Nostalgia

There are songs that hit your playlist, and then there are songs that feel like an invitation to a destination. Shayan Chowdhury Arnob’s latest curated piece, "Café," is definitely the latter. This track isn’t just a performance; it’s a perfectly captured moment where the fiery rhythm of Latin Jazz walks right into the quiet, soulful introspection of Bengali music. It’s a warm, dimly lit room captured in sound, and a beautiful reminder that life’s "Real Magic" often lives in the gentle silence between two heartbeats. What makes it truly special is how it balances respect with innovation. This composition is built on a stunning dual inheritance: drawing deeply from the beloved nostalgia of Gautam Chattopadhyay’s “Amar Priya Caffe” (Moheener Ghoraguli) and the foundational, iconic rhythm of Eddie Palmieri’s original “Café.” Producer Shuvendu Das Shuvo manages to weave these two profound, separate traditions into a singular, rich tapestry that somehow feels both instantly familiar and excitingly new. Read more: Classic Ibsen heroine reimagined in new film adaptation Tanzir Tuhin's vocals are the undisputed heart of the piece. His voice carries the Bengali "nostalgia" beautifully, delivering the lyrical sentiment of the idea of a café as a living book of small, private stories with a stirring, authentic warmth. This is instantly grounded by the masterful performance of the ensemble. Gaboo’s percussion carries the legacy of rhythm, providing a complex yet effortless groove, while Lívia Mattos’s accordion adds a magical, almost unexpected layer of European folk-jazz charm. When the brass section (Francis on trombone, Apurba on trumpet) kicks in, the song takes flight, transforming the quiet reflection into a vibrant, swirling dance. "Café" is an emotion first and a fusion second. It captures the quiet energy described in the notes: the last goodbye, the first hello, the "gentle pause between two hearts." It’s a flawless piece of music that proves that some feelings like a perfectly brewed coffee or a shared moment of silence transcend language. This single piece of music is a spectacular achievement from everyone involved from the artists like Mithun Chakraborty and Pradyut Chatterjea to the immense creative and sound squads led by Faizan R Ahmad (Buno) and Syed Gousul Alam Shaon. They haven't just produced a song; they have bottled the timeless hush of a place where everyone leaves a piece of their story behind. Read more: Thamma box office Day 5: Ayushmann, Rashmika's film nears Rs 100 crore mark

Coke Studio Bangla, the popular global music platform which has been enthralling music lovers in the country since 2022 with its fan-favourite tracks such as "Deora," "Darale Duaarey," "Nasek Nasek" and more, is gearing up to launch its next season in early next year. The organisers of Coke Studio Bangla revealed this in a recent press meet, while showing the analytics of its successful two seasons. Momshad Khan, Country Head, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Bangladesh Limited said at the event that over two groundbreaking seasons, CSB has refreshed the music landscape, transcended borders, earning accolades from fans and artistes alike. So far, the platform brought music from different regions including Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh, among others. ‘I'm on medication’: Karan Johar The platform has introduced nearly 100 talented singers, including many undiscovered musicians such as Animesh Roy, Hamida Banu, Aleya Begum, Mukul Mojumder Ishaan, to name a few; kickstarting some of their careers. While all the applauds have rightly gone to the 20 plus songs created in two seasons and the musicians behind them, the platform itself has been generating numbers that are commendable and had a direct impact on the music industry itself, according to Coke Studio Bangla Music Producer and acclaimed singer-music director Shayan Chowdhury Arnob. Revealing the analytics, the organisers showcased that Coke Studio Bangla's YouTube channel boasts a total of 2.86 million+ subscribers, surpassing the combined subscriber count of some of Bangladesh's biggest brands, including leading telcos, & MFS. All this was achieved in just 20 months since its inauguration, and additionally, Coke Studio Bangla remains the only Bangladeshi FMCG brand to have both a Silver and Gold YouTube Play Button, a testament to its significant impact. Furthermore, with an engagement rate of 20%, CSB's YouTube channel surpasses the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry average of below 10%, showcasing the platform's ability to connect with its audience. Sabbir Romeo's short film ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’ to release on International Day of Persons with Disabilities The global appeal of CSB is evident with 3,700 organic review and reaction contents from 15+ countries worldwide. The top hits of the two seasons are "Bhober Pagol," "Bulbuli," and "Nasek Nasek" from Season 1, and "Deora" and "Kotha Koiyo Na" from Season 2. In terms of fanbase, Coke Studio Bangla's fans primarily falls under the aged group of 18-34, hailing from various countries. A little over 80% of the total subscribers are from Bangladesh, with India, and the USA in second and third spot. They are followed by countries in the Middle East & Europe, the organizers said. While Coke Studio Bangla is greatly celebrated in major cities of Bangladesh, like Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, there is a significant fanbase in Kolkata who have embraced the platform with enthusiasm, the organisers stated. Coke Studio Bangla's Spotify data highlights the platform’s staggering success the most, with a total streaming duration of over 13.8 million streams to date which is equivalent to 75million minutes. As per data from Spotify, since the launch of the platform, Bangla music consumption on Spotify has increased by 4 times. The most streamed CSB songs include "Bulbuli," "Chiltey Roud," "Bhober Pagol" (Season 1), and "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," "Darale Duaarey" (Season 2). There has been a total of over 1 million user-generated content pieces on TikTok that accumulated more than 400 million views based on the songs from Coke Studio Bangla. The most trending CSB songs on TikTok are "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," and "Darale Duaarey." With over 1 million user generated reels on Instagram Reels, "Kotha Koiyo Na" stands out as the most trending CSB song on that platform, according to the organisers. Sam Bahadur: Manekshaw's daughter moved to tears Apart from music, Coke Studio Bangla has also had an impact on the art and creative community of Bangladesh, the organizers stated. Since its inception, thousands of fans and artists have shared their creative artwork as a form of tribute to the wonderful songs and musicians.

Presenting a high energy, festive song that combines Bangla folk genres ‘Shaari’, ‘Jaari’ and ‘Pala Gaan’ with electrifying urban grooves, Coke Studio Bangla released its fifth track “Deora” on Sunday (May 07) night across all its digital platforms. Composed, produced, mixed and mastered by Pritom Hasan – one of the most versatile contemporary musicians, “Deora” is dedicated to the boatsmen’s rhythm and energy during ‘Nouka Baich’ or traditional boat race, popular in rural Bangladesh and held during the monsoon and autumn seasons. The title of the song refers to ‘brother-in-law’ in the regional dialect of north Bengal, and this type of song is performed during the boat races – cheering on the racers – from the banks of rivers. The biggest surprise in the song has been the superlative performance by Islam Uddin Palakar, renowned in the ‘Pala Gaan’ tradition of Bangla folk songs. “The rich heritage of this genre usually requires elaborative theatrical performances where the actor takes on multiple roles – sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, and sometimes an inanimate object – to present stories to their audience. These performances can take up to 8 hours without a break.” – Coke Studio Bangla describes. Read More: Web series Hotel Relax hits a new record: Bongo Pritom jointly penned the lyrics with Fazlu Majhi, a boat racer himself who also performed in the song with his team. The first Bangladeshi Grammy Award-nominated artist Armeen Musa and her ‘Ghaashphoring Choir’ added another dimension to the song. Describing the fusion in detail, Coke Studio Bangla mentioned on the song’s YouTube description, “…’Shaari Gaan’, usually associated with physical labour, and ‘Jaari Gaan’ known for its motivational lyrics – the perfect combination for a sport that requires the participants to have quick bursts of intense energy for rowing their boat across the finishing line.”

With its biggest artists' collaboration in a single track, Coke Studio Bangla released its seventh song Wednesday night – a fusion of Radharaman Dutta's "Lilabali" and Bari Siddiquie's "Bhaber Deshe Thako Kanya." Composed and arranged by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, the song Lilabali features Rubaiyat Rehman, Tasfia Fatima (Tashfee), Masha Islam, Karishma Sanu Sovvota, Jannatul Firdaus Akbar, Sanzida Mahmood Nandita, Armeen Musa, Warda Ashraf and Md Makhon Mia. Read: Ustad Rashid Khan to sing in 'Coke Studio Bangla' Season Two The fusion encapsulates the many ways a bride is adorned by her bridesmaids and the rush of emotions that goes through each of them. It also shows the other side of the same coin, where the groom expresses his sentiments in a light and fun setting. Together, the song draws a complete picture of the Bangladeshi way of celebrating a wedding. The chief sound engineer of the song is Faizan Rashid Ahmad (Buno), and the track was mixed and mastered by Saadul Islam. The orchestration team features Hassan Haider Khan (shehnai), Rahin Haider (tenor saxophone), Sayonton Mangsang (alto saxophone), Saadul Islam (banjitar and electric guitar), Imran Ahmed (electric guitar), Shuvendu Das Shuvo (electric guitar), Faizan Rashid Ahmad Buno (bass), Shayan Chowdhury Arnob (guitar), Ripon Kumar Sarkar (khomok), Mithun Chakra (percussions), Mubarak Islam (percussions), Pantho Kanai (drums), Pradyut Chatterjea (keys), Adit Rahman (Keys), and Salahuddin Mahmud (harmonium). Up to now, the first season of Coke Studio Bangla has released seven complete fusion tracks – "Nasek Nasek" (Animes Roy, Pantho Kanai), "Prarthona" (Momotaz Begum and Mizan Rahman), "Bulbuli" (Ritu Raj, Nandita), "Bhober Pagol" (Nigar Sumi and Jalali Set), "Chiltey Roud" (Arnob and Boga Taleb), "Shob Lokey Koy" (Kaniz Khandaker Mitu and Murshidabadi) and Lilabali. Also read: Coke Studio Bangla concert held at Army Stadium Music enthusiasts can enjoy the fusion performances on Coca-Cola Bangladesh's official Facebook page, YouTube channel and Spotify. Coke Studio Bangla is produced by Grey Advertising Bangladesh, with Syed Gousul Alam Shaon being the creative producer of the show and Shayan Chowdhury Arnob as the curator and music producer.

Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri winning eminent Indian classical singer and musician Ustad Rashid Khan, known for his many iconic classical and Bollywood numbers, has recently revealed that he is all set to perform in the upcoming second season of the popular musical show Coke Studio Bangla. On his 54th birthday last Friday, the Indian classical maestro revealed the information to Anandabazar Patrika during an interview. Read:Coke Studio Bangla concert held at Army Stadium His son Arman Khan, also a classical singer and musician, will also be performing alongside Khan, he informed. "I always like to do fusion. I have performed fusion before, there are also recordings of my fusion. This time I will do fusion with my son in Bangladesh, as part of the Coke Studio Bangla," the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana artist of Indian classical music said. "This would certainly be a song of classical music; however, I will try to make that fusion from a slightly different angle. Currently, I am thinking and planning about the song," Khan added. Regarding his involvement in the next season, Coke Studio Bangla Creative Producer Syed Gousul Alam Shaon informed that the eminent classical maestro was all set to join the ongoing maiden edition of Coke Studio Bangla, but the plan was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Confirming his addition, Shaon told media that the second season of Coke Studio Bangla will bring even more enthralling musical experiences to the audiences. The ongoing season one of the international platform has already received rave reviews for its fusion tracks, blending folks and modern Bangla songs. Read:Coke Studio's 'Chiltey Roud': Arnob whips up another magical track So far, total seven songs have been released from season one, and the latest song "Shob Loke Koy" is a fusion tribute to Bengali Baul Fakir Lalon Shai and Indian mystic poet Kabir Das, performed by Kaniz Khandaker Mitu and Indian singer Soumyadeep Sikdar, who is known as Murshidabadi and a disciple of Ustad Rashid Khan. Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Curator and Producer of the Coke Studio Bangla Season One, has arranged the music and produced the fusion track which currently stands with over 3.1 million views on YouTube.

Conquering the brutal aftermath of Thursday's heavy showers, the first-ever concert of Coke Studio Bangla was held at Dhaka's Army Stadium last night. The special concert, which was arranged by Coca-Cola Bangladesh and Bangladesh Football Federation marking the global tour of the FIFA World Cup trophy that arrived in Bangladesh on Wednesday, was delayed for several hours as the arena was flooded due to heavy showers. Bangladesh Football Federation even announced that the concert was postponed; however, the event finally began at 9pm, minimising its earlier schedule while billions of viewers from home and abroad also virtually joined the concert on Coke Studio Bangla’s Facebook and YouTube Live. Also read: Coke Studio's 'Chiltey Roud': Arnob whips up another magical track The first large-scale, open-air concert featuring all Bangladeshi artistes after the Joy Bangla Concert in 2020 and the global outbreak of COVID-19, the performances began with Coke Studio Bangla season one theme song “Ekla Cholo” by the music producer of the ongoing season, Arnob, alongside Sunidhi Nayak, Zohad and more.

Coke Studio Bangla Sunday released its fifth track "Chiltey Roud" – an ode to loved ones – where the show curator and producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob made his singing debut. Young folk singer Ripon Kumar Sarkar, popularly known as Boga Taleb, voiced the soulful fusion – combining legendary Bhawaiya song "O Ki Ekbar Ashiya" written and sung by Abbasuddin Ahmed – with Arnob. No matter where or who someone is, the deep blue sky speaks to them just the same. The same sky that bestows shade over the arable soils of the village also brings relief over the busy streets of a metro city. The language of love and yearning for loved ones is universal. The urban lyrical picturisation of Chiltey Rodey written by Saron Datta interweaves with the pain and yearning of O Ki Ekbar Ashiya to express the same deep emotion and hunger in people's hearts, in cities and villages, to be close and in the presence of love. The chief sound engineer of the song is Faizan R Ahmad (Buno) and the track was mixed and mastered by Buno, Saadul Islam and Yash Divecha. Jannatul Firdous Akbar and Rubayat Rehman provided backing vocals. The track was performed by Jalal Ahmed (bansuri), Saadul Islam (electric guitar), Imran Ahmed (electric guitar), Shuvendu Das Shuvo (acoustic guitar), Faizan Rashid Ahmad (Buno) (bass guitar), Rahin Haider (tenor saxophone), Sayonton Mangsang (bansuri), Hassan Haider Khan (shehnai), Pantho Kanai (drums), Mithun Chakra (percussions), Pradyut Chatterjea (piano), Mubarak Islam (percussion) and Md Ashikul Islam (esraj). Directed by Krishnendu Chattopaddhyay, the video production of the song was done by Dope Productions Private.