Bhawaiya Juboraj Kasim Uddin in Kurigram

Bhawaiya Juboraj Kasim Uddin

Bhawaiya Juboraj Kasim Uddin (folk artist) in Kurigram is a well known as Gayok Kasim Uddin.

Kasim Uddin, an eminent artist of favourite folk song Bhawaiya of the northern region of the country and freedom fighter, who took away the Bhawaiya to top of folk music kingdom after Bhawaiya Samrat Abbas Uddin and other eminent artists.

Kasim Uddin inspired youths to the freedom fighting through singing into various training camps in India during the liberation war’71. ‘Oki bap-re-bap muktifauj ki juddho ka-re bap-re’ is a one of his songs during the freedom fighting.

After liberation, he was a regular folk artist of Bangladesh Radio and Bangladesh Television. He would present Paalagan (folk group song) besides Bhawaiya to audiences performing favourite manner.

He wrote about two thousand songs and sang most of those. Mainly he highlighted images of life style of rural and backward people through his songs like ‘Naya darate machh ujayechhe.....’, ‘Baper bari more Dharlar opa-re......’, Kainya bhanna karish na.....’ etc.

He was economically poor. He was a resident of Hinganroy village of Kurigram town. He born in 1930 and died at his home on the 22^nd August in 1992.

Local folk cultural organisations including Kasim Uddin Parishad, Bangladesh Bhawaiya Academy, Methojan, Udichi Shilpi Goshthee and Kasim Uddin Bhawaiya Academy jointly observe his death anniversary on the 22^nd August every year with much enthusiasm in Kurigram.

The programme includes giving flowers to KasimUddin’s graveyard, Bhawaiya Kathan, performing dances on his song, Palagan, Bhawaiya songs written by Kasim Uddin. The eminent folk artists present Bhawaiya songs on the day.

Mahbubur Rahman Momin, President of Kasim Uddin Parishad in Kurigram, said, “To sustain our culture, heritage and life style related Bhawaiya songs, Kasim Uddin is remembered formally every year. Numbers of Bhawaiya artists have already been created depending on his works. Our new generation is not known about our previous culture and heritage. Therefore, we have been trying to inform them previous culture and heritage through his songs.”