যে গান ও র্যাপ আন্দোলনের কণ্ঠস্বর হয়ে উঠেছিল — এবং সেই শিল্পীদের ওপর নিপীড়নের নথি।
news article2024-08-01
This news article from The Business Standard (published August 1, 2024) reports that the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), a PEN America project, condemned the arrest of Bangladeshi rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul and demanded his immediate release. Hannan was arrested on July 25, 2024, in Narayanganj, allegedly because police found protest footage on his mobile phone, and he was subsequently placed on a two-day remand. The article highlights that Hannan gained widespread popularity for his protest song "Awaaz Utha" (released July 18, 2024), which ranked 9th on YouTube's trending list, and that ARC characterized his arrest as part of a broader pattern of suppression of free expression in Bangladesh by authorities.
Source: The Business Standard
news article2024-07-31
This news article from The Business Standard (published July 31, 2024) reports that Bangladeshi rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul was arrested on July 25, 2024, in Narayanganj and subsequently placed on a two-day police remand. He was detained along with friends while returning from a funeral, after police allegedly found protest-related video footage on their mobile phones. The article also notes that Hannan's song "Awaaz Utha" — released on July 18, 2024, in solidarity with ongoing quota reform protests in Bangladesh — had reached #9 on YouTube's trending list, and that the hashtag #freehannan circulated online in response to his arrest. There was additionally speculation about the arrest of another rapper, Muhammad Shezan, known for the track "Kotha Ko."
Source: The Business Standard
song
'Ek Dofa (এক দফা) | Bangla Rap Song | Rafsan Ahmed Siam | (এক দফা দাবি নিয়ে রেপ গান)' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: Rafsan Ahmed Siam
song
'কোটা চাইনা, মেধা চাই রেপ Song ২০২৪। ! Imtiaz Akib' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: Imtiaz Akib
song
'SAHAN - Rajakar ( রাজাকার ) | BANGLADESH' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: SAHAN
song
'HANNAN, SnareByt - AWAAZ UTHA (আওয়াজ উডা) | BANGLADESH' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Rapper Hannan (Hannan Hossain Shimul), whose protest rap 'Awaaz Utha' became an anthem of the movement, was arrested during the July 2024 crackdown over the song and released after the fall of the Hasina government on 5 August 2024. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: HANNAN & SnareByt
news article
This news article from The Daily Star (Bangladesh) profiles rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul from Narayanganj, who was arrested on July 25 after releasing a rap song called "Awaaz Utha," which authorities deemed controversial. He was held for 12 days, during which police allegedly demanded bribes of up to Tk150,000 for his release, he was charged with vandalism and arson, and spent two days on remand before being released on August 6 following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government. The article covers three main topics: his arrest and detention conditions (including the police's bribery demands and 39-hour hold before court transfer), his emotional experience in jail (family visitation denials, public protests in his support), and his plans following release (he has already released a new track called "Risk" and is working on a prison-inspired song).
Source: The Daily Star
broadcast
''আওয়াজ উডা' গানের কারণে রিমান্ডে! | Mytv News' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: Mytv News
song
'SHEZAN - Kotha Ko (কথা ক) | BANGLADESH' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: SHEZAN
news article
This news article from The Daily Star (Bangladesh) reports that rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul was released on bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Narayanganj, following his arrest on July 25 in the Bhuighor area. He had been arrested in connection with student protests against the Awami League government, with cultural figures alleging his detention was due to his rebellious rap song "Awaaz Utha." His release came the day after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's regime on August 5, as the court granted bail to all those arrested in relation to the student protests.
Source: The Daily Star
news article
This news article from The Daily Star (Bangladesh) reports on the arrest of rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul on July 25, 2026, in Narayanganj, Bangladesh. He was granted a two-day remand after appearing in court, though no specific charges were publicly disclosed. According to his collaborator SnareByt, police apprehended Hannan and friends after finding protest video footage on their phones while they were returning from a funeral. The article also covers the viral success of Hannan's rebel rap song "Awaaz Utha" ("Raise Your Voice"), which accumulated 298,000 YouTube views in 11 days and was trending at #12 in the music category. The song's lyrics call on Bangladeshis to speak out against street violence. His arrest prompted a #freehannan campaign among musicians, and fellow rapper Muhammad Shezan publicly addressed false rumors about his own arrest while expressing support for Hannan.
Source: The Daily Star
song
'Desh Kar? দেশ কার? - Lunatix Veer X Rhythmsta | Quota Reform Movement Bangladesh | GoatZilla' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: Lunatix Veer & Rhythmsta
song
'SIAM - Pani Lagbe Pani (পানি লাগবে পানি) | Mugdho (মুগ্ধ) | BANGLADESH' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: SIAM
news article
This article from The Daily Star (Bangladesh) covers the emergence of Bangla rap music as a form of political resistance during the 2024 quota reform protest movement in Bangladesh, in which over 165 people were killed and more than 10,000 arrested. The piece profiles several young rappers — including Hannan Hossain Shimul (who was arrested after his song "Awaaz Utha" gained 600,000 views), Shezan Beatz ("Kotha Ko," 1.6 million views), and others — whose songs voiced the protesters' demands for merit-based job quotas and condemned government violence against students. The article argues that these rap artists accomplished what mainstream Bangladeshi music had failed to do — directly and fearlessly challenge state oppression through poetry and music — drawing parallels to historical Bengali resistance culture, Bob Dylan's protest anthems, and Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird" poem.
Source: The Daily Star
news article
This article by Dr. Navine Murshid, published in The Daily Star, examines the role of music — specifically rap — in Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, which was sparked by economic grievances, political repression, and demands for democracy. Two rap songs, "Awaz Utha" (Raise Your Voice) by Hannan and "Kotha Ko" (Speak Up) by Shezan, became anthems of the movement, spreading virally on social media after the government lifted an internet blackout, representing a sharp departure from the traditional protest music (Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti) that defined earlier movements like the 1990 anti-Ershad uprising and the 2013 Shahbagh movement. The article contrasts this digitally-driven, decentralized, youth-led cultural resistance with past movements, noting that established cultural organizations largely stayed silent due to their alignment with the Awami League government. It also critically addresses competing narratives that frame the uprising as either an Islamist or right-wing conspiracy, arguing instead that it was a broad, spontaneous, leaderless movement driven by Gen Z frustration with authoritarianism. Finally, the piece reflects on the movement's uncertain legacy, warning that — like the Shahbagh movement before it — the July Uprising risks being co-opted by political actors, while Bangladesh continues to face polarization and incomplete democratic reform.
Source: The Daily Star
song
'SIAM - Abu Sayed ( আবু সাঈদ ) | BANGLADESH' — protest rap from Bangladesh's July 2024 uprising, archived from a community playlist of the movement's rap songs. Bengali rap was one of the uprising's protest mediums; songs circulated as anthems at marches and online. Archived as a primary source; lyrics are not transcribed — listen to the recording.
Source: SIAM