“Are you still busy?” I asked.
“No, brother. I had a meeting at the office earlier. Just got back,” replied Nahid Hasan over the phone. Unlike many artists waiting for calls, Nahid himself reached out as the afternoon wore on. When asked if he still juggled a day job, he explained that while he came to the city to pursue music, reality demanded he earn a living alongside his dreams.
Nahid’s journey from Thakurgaon to Dhaka is a story of ambition tempered by struggle and occasional despair—themes that echo in his music.
Early Musical Roots
Within his family, Nahid is the first to formally pursue music, though his elder uncle, siblings, and cousins were involved in singing and local theatre. This early exposure sowed the seeds of his passion. During his college years in Bogura, he regularly wrote and performed songs among friends. After graduation, like many young dreamers, he decided to move to Dhaka to achieve something meaningful—unaware of the personal hardships awaiting him.
Setbacks and Resilience
In 2014, shortly after arriving in Dhaka, Nahid studied at a private university while working at a mobile phone shop. He invested both savings and borrowed money—roughly BDT 20,000—into a mixed album, which included a song he wrote and composed. Tragically, the producer passed away before the album’s release, leaving the song unreleased. Reflecting on the event, Nahid said, “It shook me completely. Dreams, hard-earned money… nothing compares to the value of a human life.” The song, coincidentally titled “Why Did It Happen?”, remains unpublished.
Determined, Nahid resolved never to invest blindly again. Over the next three years, he wrote and composed 16–17 songs, gradually mastering the guitar. In 2017, a chance meeting with musician Autumnal Moon at Banani Supermarket led to a collaboration. The resulting song took a year to record and another year to release, during which he endured financial hardship, daily commutes on BDT 25 bus fares, minimal meals, and backbreaking schedules—yet this struggle culminated in the widely acclaimed release of “I Will Not Leave Your Side.”
Popular Songs and Themes
| Song Title | Theme | Status |
|---|---|---|
| I Will Not Leave Your Side | Love and devotion | Released |
| Let Hatred Remain | Social inequality | Released |
| Father’s Bicycle | Childhood memories and paternal bond | Released |
| People Who Cause Sorrow | Personal hardship | Released |
| Binayak | Adaptation of Kamrul Islam’s poetry | Released |
Nahid often draws on personal experiences, from childhood memories and romantic heartbreak to societal observations. Several songs pay tribute to his parents, such as Father’s Bicycle and Father’s Torn Shirt, with future plans to release an EP entirely devoted to them.
Continuing Journey
Nahid has also ventured into playback singing. His first film song, Hawai Mithai, for a pending Fakrul Islam production, marked a milestone, while he declined earlier offers that did not align with his vision. He acknowledges the digital era has given artists freedom to self-publish, but marketing pressures can conflict with artistic integrity.
For Nahid, the focus is simple: one day, he hopes to leave his job entirely, dedicate himself fully to music, and share his voice across the globe—the very reason he came to Dhaka.