Culture

Music and dance style of Bangladesh may be alienated into three categories, namely, the classical, folk and the modern. The classical style has been unfair by other common classical forms of music and dances of the Indian subcontinent, and accordingly shows some influences dance forms like Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi. The folk and tribal music and dance forms of Bangladesh are of original origin and rooted to the soil of Bangladesh. Several dancing styles in vogue in the north-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, like Monipuri and Santal dances, are also skillful in Bangladesh, but Bangladesh has residential its own different dancing styles, for example Nitoshilpi.

Bangladesh has a rich custom of folk songs, with lyrics rooted into energetic tradition and spirituality, mysticism and devotion. Such folk songs also revolve round several other themes, including love themes.

Most common of folk songs and music traditions include Bhatiali, Baul, Marfati, Murshidi and Bhawaiya. Lyricists like Lalon Shah, Hason Raja, Kangal Harinath, Romesh Shill, Abbas Uddin and many unknown anonymous lyrists have enriched the custom of folk songs of Bangladesh.

In comparatively modern context, Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul geeti form precious cultural heritage of Bangladesh. In recent time, western influences have given rise to several quality rock bands, particularly in urban centers like Dhaka.

Several musical instruments, some of them of indigenous origin, are used in Bangladesh, and major musical instruments used are bamboo flute (banshi), drums (dole), a single stringed instrument named ektara, a four stringed instrument called dotara, a pair of metal bawls used for rhythm effect called mandira. Currently, several musical instruments of western origin like guitar, drums, and saxophone are also used, sometimes alongside the traditional instruments.