Some free tracks to download
for Chakma song lovers
The late Kumar Samit Roy was by far the most prolific composer of Chakma modern music. Most of his songs were composed in present-dayRangamati, the picturesque capital of the Chakma people in southern Bangladesh. Though his princely childhood home was submerged by the infamous Kaptai Dam, its’ surroundings are ever-present in his simple but thought-provoking lyrics.
Though he began singing in the 1970s, his song-writing talents came to a head in the mid-to-late 1980s and he produced magnificent pieces like “Gazho faghondi zunan zekke ude”, “Oi degochni chengi duar ziyot agey reserve bazar”, and “Moan mura sora gang felei zangor loi”.
He was self-taught and his songs reflect the deep affection for the way of life of the romantic Chakma people, which he perceived was getting lost forever. Besides himself his songs were first sung by Rupayan Dewan, Uttam Dewan, Devasish Roy (Raja), Sujan Dewan, Joyoti Roy and Sivasish Roy. The principal songwriter of Genkhuli passed away in 2008 and his songs continue to be sung by various artists in the region and abroad.