Members of local band parties are having hard days as the number of programmes in which they are invited to play their musical instruments has come down drastically since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. These poor people however have not received any support from any quarter, including the government, during the whole crisis period. The band parties are an important part of the Bangalee culture and tradition. In cultural events like jatra, theatre, Baul song and palagan the band parties play integral roles. Besides being parts of cultural events, the band parties also perform in various social and religious programmes. Their participation is a must in different festivals.
The band parties use traditional musical instruments like drum, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone and tuba. Over one thousand members of around 100 band parties are in the Tangail. Several hundred families living at different places in the district are still pursuing their ancestral profession. Although, the participation of band parties makes any event, programme or festival joyous, the life of the poor members of the band parties is full of woes. The pandemic has made their situation worse.
About 100 families of band parties live in a congested place on around 100 decimals of land. They use worn-out structures made with corrugated iron sheets in an unhygienic environment without proper sanitation facilities. The people are not solvent with their scant income. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic all kinds of programmes have remained suspended. The government-imposed lockdown restrictions have dangerously curbed the income of the members of the band parties. The local government authorities must bring the members of the band parties under livelihood support initiatives.
