Producing the Urban Poor in Dhaka

Abstract

In this article I am concerned with the nature of the ideological warfare that characterizes contemporary popular music in Bangladesh: how effectively music videos (along with their lyrical contents) are contributing to the meaning-making process of popular music to produce the urban poor. I argue that, with the ongoing prevalence of ‘urban folk’ music in Dhaka city—which has been championed by a group of subaltern musicians—a culture-clash has eventually formed between the two groups of musicians and producers; two different schools of music that roughly represent two different classes. Through an analysis of specific urban folk lyrics, music videos and other related music experiences, this article considers the ideological warfare and culture-clash apparent in the production of urban poor by the music industry; a culture-clash brought about through the differing intentions of the classes involved.