Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on libel, slander, obscenity, incitement to commit a crime, etc.

The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the ICCPR states that "[e]veryone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference" and "[e]veryone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice". Article 19 goes on to say that the exercise of these rights carries "special duties and responsibilities" and may "therefore be subject to certain restrictions" when necessary "[f]or respect of the rights or reputation of others" or "[f]or the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals".

The right to freedom of speech and expression

Concepts of freedom of speech can be found in early human rights documents. England’s Bill of Rights 1689 granted 'freedom of speech in Parliament' and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted during the French Revolution in 1789, specifically affirmed freedom of speech as an inalienable right. The Declaration provides for freedom of expression in Article 11, which states that:

"The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law."

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Today freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognized in international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. Based on John Milton's arguments, freedom of speech is understood as a multi-faceted right that includes not only the right to express, or disseminate, information and ideas, but three further distinct aspects:

the right to seek information and ideas;

the right to receive information and ideas;

the right to impart information and ideas.

International, regional and national standards also recognize that freedom of speech, as the freedom of expression, includes any medium, be it orally, in written, in print, through the Internet or through art forms. This means that the protection of freedom of speech as a right includes not only the content, but also the means of expression.

Relationship to other rights

The right to freedom of speech and expression is closely related to other rights, and may be limited when conflicting with other rights (see Limitations on freedom of speech). The right to freedom of expression is also related to the right to a fair trial and court proceeding which may limit access to the search for information or determine the opportunity and means in which freedom of expression is manifested within court proceedings. As a general principle freedom of expression may not limit the right to privacy, as well as the honor and reputation of others. However greater latitude is given when criticism of public figures is involved. The right to freedom of expression is particularly important for media, which plays a special role as the bearer of the general right to freedom of expression for all. However, freedom of the press is not necessarily enabling freedom of speech. Judith Lichtenberg has outlined conditions in which freedom of the press may constrain freedom of speech, for example where the media suppresses information or stifles the diversity of voices inherent in freedom of speech. Lichtenberg argues that freedom of the press is simply a form of property right summed up by the principle "no money, no voice".

Origins

Freedom of speech and expression has a long history that predates modern international human rights instruments. It is thought that ancient Athens’ democratic ideology of free speech may have emerged in the late 6th or early 5th century BC. Two of the most cherished values of the Roman Republic were freedom of religion and freedom of speech. In Islamic ethics, freedom of speech was first declared in the Rashidun period by the caliph Umar in the 7th century AD. In the Abbasid Caliphate period, freedom of speech was also declared by al-Hashimi (a cousin of Caliph al-Ma'mun) in a letter to one of the religious opponents he was attempting to convert through reason.

Freedom of speech, dissent and truth

Before the invention of the printing press a writing, once created, could only be physically multiplied by the highly laborious and error-prone process of manual copying out and an elaborate system of censorship and control over scribes existed. Printing allowed for multiple exact copies of a work, leading to a more rapid and widespread circulation of ideas and information (see print culture). The origins of copyright law in most European countries lie in efforts by the Roman Catholic Church and governments to regulate and control the output of printers. In 1501 Pope Alexander VI issued a Bill against the unlicensed printing of books and in 1559 the Index Expurgatorius, or ''List of Prohibited Books'', was issued for the first time. The Index Expurgatorius is the most famous and long lasting example of "bad books" catalogues issued by the Roman Catholic Church, which assumed responsibility to control thoughts and opinions, and suppressed views that went against its doctrines. The Index Expurgatorius was administered by the Roman Inquisition, but enforced by local government authorities, and went through 300 editions. Amongst others it banned or censored books written by Rene Descartes, Giordano Bruno, Galileo Galilei, David Hume, John Locke, Daniel Defoe, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire. While governments and church encouraged printing in many ways because it allowed for the dissemination of Bibles and government information, works of dissent and criticism could also circulate rapidly. As a consequence, governments established controls over printers across Europe, requiring them to have official licenses to trade and produce books. The notion that the expression of dissent or subversive views should be tolerated, not censured or punished by law, developed alongside the rise of printing and the press. ''Areopagitica'', published in 1644, was John Milton's response to the Parliament of England's re-introduction of government licensing of printers, hence publishers. Church authorities had previously ensured that Milton's essay on the right to divorce was refused a license for publication. In Areopagitica, published without a license, Milton made an impassioned plea for freedom of expression and toleration of falsehood, stating:

"Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties."

Milton's defense of freedom of expression was grounded in a Protestant worldview and he thought that the English people had the mission to work out the truth of the Reformation, which would lead to the enlightenment of all people. But Milton also articulated the main strands of future discussions about freedom of expression. By defining the scope of freedom of expression and of "harmful" speech Milton argued against the principle of pre-censorship and in favor of tolerance for a wide range of views.

As the "menace" of printing spread, governments established centralised control mechanism. The French crown repressed printing and the printer Etienne Dolet was burned at the stake in 1546. In 1557 the British Crown thought to stem the flow of seditious and heretical books by chartering the Stationers' Company. The right to print was limited to the members of that guild, and thirty years later the Star Chamber was chartered to curtail the "greate enormities and abuses" of "dyvers contentyous and disorderlye persons professinge the arte or mystere of pryntinge or selling of books." The right to print was restricted to two universities and to the 21 existing printers in the city of London, which had 53 printing presses. As the British crown took control of type founding in 1637 printers fled to the Netherlands. Confrontation with authority made printers radical and rebellious, with 800 authors, printers and book dealers being incarcerated in the Bastille in Paris before it was stormed in 1789.

A succession of English thinkers was at the forefront at the beginning of the discussion the idea of a right to freedom of expression, among them John Milton (1608–74) and John Locke (1632–1704). Locke established the individual as the unit of value and the bearer of rights to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness. However Lockes ideas evolved primarily around the concept of a mans right to seek salvation for his or her soul, and was thus primarily concerned with theological matters. Locke did not support a universal toleration and freedom of speech, some groups, like atheists, should not be allowed according to his ideas.

By the second half of the 17th century philosophers on the European continent like Baruch Spinoza and Pierre Bayle developed ideas encompassing a more universal aspect freedom of speech and toleration than the early English philosophers. By the 18th century the idea of freedom of speech was being discussed by thinkers all over the Western world, especially by French philosophes like Denis Diderot, Baron d'Holbach and Claude Adrien Helvétius The idea began to be incorporated in political theory both in theory as well as practice; the first state edict in history proclaiming complete freedom of speech was the one issued December 4 1770 in Denmark-Norway during the regency of Johann Friedrich Struensee. However Struensee himself imposed some minor limitations to this edict in October 7 1771, and it was even further limited after the fall of Struensee with legislation introduced in 1773, although censorship was not reintroduced.

Milton and Locke emphasised the role of Government to protect these rights and this belief was first enshrined in a durable form in the US Constitution, with the First Amendment adding the guarantee that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press". John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) argued that human freedom is good and without it there can be no progress in science, law or politics, which according to Mill required free discussion of opinion. Mill's On Liberty, published in 1859 became a classic defence of the right to freedom of expression. Mill argued that truth drives out falsity, therefore the free expression of ideas, true or false, should not be feared. Truth is not stable or fixed, but evolves with time. Mill argued that much of what we once considered true has turned out false. Therefore views should not be prohibited for their apparent falsity. Mill also argued that free discussion is necessary to prevent the "deep slumber of a decided opinion". Discussion would drive the onwards march of truth and by considering false views the basis of true views could be re-affirmed.

In Evelyn Beatrice Hall's biography of Voltaire, she coined the following phrase to illustrate Voltaire's beliefs: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Hall's quote is frequently cited to describe the principle of freedom of speech. In the 20th Century Noam Chomsky states that: "If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom of speech for views you don't like. Stalin and Hitler, for example, were dictators in favor of freedom of speech for views they liked only. If you're in favor of freedom of speech, that means you're in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise." Professor Lee Bollinger argues that "the free speech principle involves a special act of carving out one area of social interaction for extraordinary self-restraint, the purpose of which is to develop and demonstrate a social capacity to control feelings evoked by a host of social encounters." Bollinger argues that tolerance is a desirable value, if not essential. However, critics argue that society should be concerned by those who directly deny or advocate, for example, genocide (see Limitations, below).

Democracy

The notion of freedom of expression is intimately linked to political debate and the concept of democracy. The norms on limiting freedom of expression mean that public debate may not be completely suppressed even in times of emergency. One of the most notable proponents of the link between freedom of speech and democracy is Alexander Meiklejohn. He argues that the concept of democracy is that of self-government by the people. For such a system to work an informed electorate is necessary. In order to be appropriately knowledgeable, there must be no constraints on the free flow of information and ideas. According to Meiklejohn, democracy will not be true to its essential ideal if those in power are able to manipulate the electorate by withholding information and stifling criticism. Meiklejohn acknowledges that the desire to manipulate opinion can stem from the motive of seeking to benefit society. However, he argues, choosing manipulation negates, in its means, the democratic ideal.

Eric Barendt has called this defence of free speech on the grounds of democracy "probably the most attractive and certainly the most fashionable free speech theory in modern Western democracies". Thomas I. Emerson expanded on this defence when he argued that freedom of speech helps to provide a balance between stability and change. Freedom of speech acts as a "safety valve" to let off steam when people might otherwise be bent on revolution. He argues that "The principle of open discussion is a method of achieving a moral adaptable and at the same time more stable community, of maintaining the precarious balance between healthy cleavage and necessary consensus." Emerson furthermore maintains that "Opposition serves a vital social function in offsetting or ameliorating (the) normal process of bureaucratic decay."

Research undertaken by the Worldwide Governance Indicators project at the World Bank, indicates that freedom of speech, and the process of accountability that follows it, have a significant impact in the quality of governance of a country. "Voice and Accountability" within a country, defined as "the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and free media" is one of the six dimensions of governance that the Worldwide Governance Indicators measure for more than 200 countries.

Social interaction and community

Richard Moon has developed the argument that the value of freedom of speech and freedom of expression lies with social interactions. Moon writes that "by communicating an individual forms relationships and associations with others – family, friends, co-workers, church congregation, and countrymen. By entering into discussion with others an individual participates in the development of knowledge and in the direction of the community."

Limitations

:''For specific country examples see Freedom of speech by country, and Criminal speech. According to the Freedom Forum Organization, legal systems, and society at large, recognize limits on the freedom of speech, particularly when freedom of speech conflicts with other values or rights. Limitations to freedom of speech may follow the "harm principle" or the "offense principle", for example in the case of pornography or hate speech. Limitations to freedom of speech may occur through legal sanction or social disapprobation, or both.

In "On Liberty" (1859) John Stuart Mill argued that "...there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it may be considered." Mill argues that the fullest liberty of expression is required to push arguments to their logical limits, rather than the limits of social embarrassment. However, Mill also introduced what is known as the harm principle, in placing the following limitation on free expression: "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others."

In 1985 Joel Feinberg introduced what is known as the "offence principle", arguing that Mill's harm principle does not provide sufficient protection against the wrongful behaviours of others. Feinberg wrote "It is always a good reason in support of a proposed criminal prohibition that it would probably be an effective way of preventing serious offense (as opposed to injury or harm) to persons other than the actor, and that it is probably a necessary means to that end." Hence Feinberg argues that the harm principle sets the bar too high and that some forms of expression can be legitimately prohibited by law because they are very offensive. But, as offending someone is less serious than harming someone, the penalties imposed should be higher for causing harm. In contrast Mill does not support legal penalties unless they are based on the harm principle. Because the degree to which people may take offense varies, or may be the result of unjustified prejudice, Feinberg suggests that a number of factors need to be taken into account when applying the offense principle, including: the extent, duration and social value of the speech, the ease with which it can be avoided, the motives of the speaker, the number of people offended, the intensity of the offense, and the general interest of the community at large.

The Internet and Information Society

Jo Glanville, editor of the Index on Censorship, states that "the Internet has been a revolution for censorship as much as for free speech". International, national and regional standards recognise that freedom of speech, as one form of freedom of expression, applies to any medium, including the Internet. The Communications Decency Act (CDA) of 1996 was the first major attempt by the United States Congress to regulate pornographic material on the Internet. In 1997, in the landmark cyberlaw case of ''Reno v. ACLU'', the U.S. Supreme Court partially overturned the law. Judge Stewart R. Dalzell, one of the three federal judges who in June 1996 declared parts of the CDA unconstitutional, in his opinion stated the following:

"The Internet is a far more speech-enhancing medium than print, the village green, or the mails. Because it would necessarily affect the Internet itself, the CDA would necessarily reduce the speech available for adults on the medium. This is a constitutionally intolerable result. Some of the dialogue on the Internet surely tests the limits of conventional discourse. Speech on the Internet can be unfiltered, unpolished, and unconventional, even emotionally charged, sexually explicit, and vulgar – in a word, "indecent" in many communities. But we should expect such speech to occur in a medium in which citizens from all walks of life have a voice. We should also protect the autonomy that such a medium confers to ordinary people as well as media magnates. [. . .] My analysis does not deprive the Government of all means of protecting children from the dangers of Internet communication. The Government can continue to protect children from pornography on the Internet through vigorous enforcement of existing laws criminalizing obscenity and child pornography. [. . .] As we learned at the hearing, there is also a compelling need for public educations about the benefits and dangers of this new medium, and the Government can fill that role as well. In my view, our action today should only mean that Government’s permissible supervision of Internet contents stops at the traditional line of unprotected speech. [. . .] The absence of governmental regulation of Internet content has unquestionably produced a kind of chaos, but as one of the plaintiff’s experts put it with such resonance at the hearing: "What achieved success was the very chaos that the Internet is. The strength of the Internet is chaos." Just as the strength of the Internet is chaos, so that strength of our liberty depends upon the chaos and cacophony of the unfettered speech the First Amendment protects."

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Declaration of Principles adopted in 2003 makes specific reference to the importance of the right to freedom of expression for the "Information Society" in stating:

"We reaffirm, as an essential foundation of the Information Society, and as outlined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; that this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Communication is a fundamental social process, a basic human need and the foundation of all social organisation. It is central to the Information Society. Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate and no one should be excluded from the benefits of the Information Society offers."

According to Bernt Hugenholtz and Lucie Guibault the public domain is under pressure from the "commodification of information" as item of information that previously had little or no economic value, have acquired independent economic value in the information age, such as factual data, personal data, genetic information and pure ideas. The commodification of information is taking place through intellectual property law, contract law, as well as broadcasting and telecommunications law.

Freedom of information

Freedom of information is an extension of freedom of speech where the medium of expression is the Internet. Freedom of information may also refer to the right to privacy in the context of the Internet and information technology. As with the right to freedom of expression, the right to privacy is a recognised human right and freedom of information acts as an extension to this right. Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e. the ability to access Web content, without censorship or restrictions.

Freedom of information is also explicitly protected by acts such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of Ontario, in Canada.

Internet censorship

The concept of freedom of information has emerged in response to state sponsored censorship, monitoring and surveillance of the internet. Internet censorship includes the control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet. The Global Internet Freedom Consortium claims to remove blocks to the "free flow of information" for what they term "closed societies". According to the Reporters without Borders (RSB) "internet enemy list" the following states engage in pervasive internet censorship: China, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar/Burma, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

A widely publicized example of internet censorship is the "Great Firewall of China" (in reference both to its role as a network firewall and to the ancient Great Wall of China). The system blocks content by preventing IP addresses from being routed through and consists of standard firewall and proxy servers at the Internet gateways. The system also selectively engages in DNS poisoning when particular sites are requested. The government does not appear to be systematically examining Internet content, as this appears to be technically impractical. Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. In accordance with these laws, more than sixty Internet regulations have been made by the People's Republic of China (PRC) government, and censorship systems are vigorously implemented by provincial branches of state-owned ISPs, business companies, and organizations.

See also

Belgian burqa ban

Digital rights

Freedom of speech by country

Freedom of thought

Global Network Initiative

Hate speech

Heckler's veto

International Freedom of Expression Exchange

Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

Laws against Holocaust denial

Media transparency

Market for loyalties theory

OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression

Political correctness

Right to pornography

Symbolic speech

WALTIC (Writers' and Literary Translators' International Congress)

Wikileaks

References

External links

freeeden

Speaking Out for Free Expression: 1987–2007 and Beyond

Timeline: a history of free speech

UN-Resolution 217 A III – (Meinungsfreiheit.org)

Article19.org, Global Campaign for Free Expression

Dissent gets dangerous in the USA (The First Post)

Banned Magazine, the journal of censorship and secrecy.

Free Speech Internet Television

International Freedom of Expression Exchange

Index on Censorship

irrepressible.info – Amnesty International's campaign against internet repression

Organization of American States – Special Rapporteur

Original Meaning of Freedom of Speech (U.S.A)

Category:Articles with inconsistent citation formats Category:Censorship Category:Human rights by issue *

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Official name	Independence, Oregon
Settlement type	City
Map caption	Location in Oregon
Coordinates region	US-OR
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	Oregon
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Polk
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	John McArdle
Established title	Incorporated
Established date	1874
Area total sq mi	2.4
Area total km2	6.3
Area land sq mi	2.3
Area land km2	6.0
Area water sq mi	0.1
Area water km2	0.3
Population as of	2000
Population total	6035
Population density km2	1000.1
Population density sq mi	2585.8
Timezone	Pacific
Utc offset	-8
Timezone dst	Pacific
Utc offset dst	-7
Elevation m	51.2
Elevation ft	168
Website	www.ci.independence.or.us
Postal code type	ZIP code
Postal code	97351
Area code	503 and 971
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	41-36150
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	1163064
Footnotes	}}

Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thirty square blocks of the oldest part of Independence form the National Register of Historic Places-listed Independence Historic District.

The population was 9,510 at the 2010 census.

History

Independence was founded by pioneers who migrated from Independence, Missouri. Elvin A. Thorp arrived in the Independence area in 1845 and staked a claim north of Ash Creek in June of that year. He platted a small townsite that later became known as "Thorp's Town of Independence" or the "Original Town of Independence", now known as "Old Town". It was named by Mrs. Thomas Burbank, wife of one of the earliest pioneers, who settled south of the city.

In 1847, Henry Hill came across the plains looking for a level piece of ground on which to raise stock. On November 14, 1847, he found his location on the west bank of the Willamette River (south of Ash Street) and marked off his donation land claim, which was square. In 1867, after returning from the California gold mines, Hill platted for a townsite, thereafter to be referred to as Henry Hill's Town of Independence. The city charter bill of February 26, 1885, incorporated E.A. Thorp's Independence and Henry Hill's Independence. Henry Hill Elementary School was named in honor of the latter. Independence thrived as a shipping point, by both rail and boat, for agricultural products and lumber until the 1950s. The city was known for its hops production from the 1890s through the 1940s, hosting a festival called the "Hops Fiesta" from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s. When hop production began to decline in the early 1950s, the city's fortunes began to decline.

Downtown Independence was bypassed by major freeways in the 1960s, though the period saw an alternative form of transportation enabled by the construction of the Independence State Airport, which was dedicated on August 14, 1964.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (3.72%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,035 people, 1,994 households, and 1,425 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,585.8 people per square mile (1,000.1/km²). There were 2,131 housing units at an average density of 913.1 per square mile (353.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.69% White, 1.49% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.41% African American, 0.36% Pacific Islander, 19.64% from other races, and 3.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.12% of the population.

There were 1,994 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,790, and the median income for a family was $40,466. Males had a median income of $30,253 versus $22,527 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,933. About 14.6% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

Entry for Independence in the ''Oregon Blue Book''

Category:Cities in Oregon Category:Populated places in Polk County, Oregon Category:Populated places established in 1874 Category:Salem, Oregon metropolitan area

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name	Sabina Ysamin
birth name	Sabina
birth date	1953
birth place	Bangladesh
nationality	Bangladeshi
occupation	singer }}

Sabina Yasmin (Born 1953)(সাবিনা ইয়াসমীন) is a popular singer of Bangladeshi origin. She is renowned in Bangladesh for her patriotic songs as well as her playback singing in Bangladeshi cinema. She achieved many awards for her music in Bangladesh and has become an iconic figure in Bangladeshi music world.

Music career

One of the most popular singers of the Indian subcontinent and the most prolific singer of Bangladesh, Sabina Yasmin started singing for films (soundtrack), radio, television and gramophone companies as a child. She has reigned supreme in the Bangladeshi music industry for the last 40 years. She is one of those few vocalists who is equally sought after in East Bengal (Bangladesh) as well as in West Bengal (in India). She has recorded more than some 10 thousand songs.

She established her position in the late 70s and early 80s with numerous patriotic songs and folk songs as well. Her voice has won the hearts of millions of Bengali people all over the world. Over the years she has not only recorded with the top composers of Bangladesh and also India as well including the famous R. D. Burman and sang duet with famous Indian singer Kishore Kumar.

She has made numerous concert tours in the UK, USA, Canada, Italy, France, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan and Australia. In addition as a member of the Bangladesh National Cultural Delegations she has performed in China, Japan, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia, India, UAE, Uzbekistan, Greece, Germany, Sweden and Norway.

She has received the Shadhinota Padak, the highest award in Bangladesh, in addition to the prestigious Ekushey Padak (The February 21 Medallion) and Jatiyo Cholochchitro Puroshkar (the National Film Award), which she has received ten times till now. In India, the Bengal Film Journalists' Association has also honored her with their Best Playback Singer Award.

Personal life

Sabina is the youngest of the famous "Yasmin-Sisters" which includes - Farida Yasmin, Fauzia Yasmin, Nilufar Yasmin and Sabina Yasmin herself. Her father Mr. Lutfar Rahman belonged to former Provincial Civil Service of British India and her mother Begum Mouluda Khatun comes of an aristocratic family of Murshidabad, who also was a vocal artiste taking music lessons from eminent musician Ustaad Kader Baksh. Sabina is also the youngest aunt of the Bangladeshi Music Superstar Agun, and eminent Sitar Player Reenat Fauzia.

Sabina has married thrice. She has a daughter Fairooz Yasmin (Badhon), an upcoming singer, from her first marriage with Anisur Rahman, and a son Srabon from her second marriage with Amir Hossain. After her first two marriages ended in divorces, she married Suman Chattopadhyay (aka Kabir Sumon), an Indian Bengali singer. Recently she has seriously fallen ill causing much distress among her fans both at home and abroad. Her state of health has been well published through the all electronic news media of Bangladesh. She went to Singapore on 11 July for better treatment. She came back to Bangladesh on 25 October and reported to have overcome her sickness.

Awards

Bangladesh

* Shadhinota Padak

* Ekushey Padak (The February 21 Medallion)

* Jatiyo Cholochchitro Puroshkar (The National Film Award)(10x)

India

* Best Playback Singer Award (Bengal Film Journalists' Association)

References

External links

Short Bio

Bangla Movie Songs of Sabina Yasmin

Sabina Yasmin Songs

Sabina Yasmin and others in Concert

Sources

Sanskriti

Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Bengali musicians Category:Bangladeshi female singers Category:Bangladeshi music Category:Bangladeshi musicians

bn:সাবিনা ইয়াসমিন

Haider Hussain, ''also'' Hyder Hussain, Hyder Husyn or Haider Hussein (Bengali: ''হায়দার হোসেন'', is a famous Bangladeshi singer-songwriter. He has released one album, ''Faisa Gechi'', produced by Ektaar Music Ltd (officially launched on May 8, 2005) and a single, ''Gonotontro''. He wrote a few songs for the 90s band Different Touch, including ''Mon Ki Je Chai''. Four videos, of ''Faisa Gechi'', ''Tirish Bochor'' and two different videos of ''Gonotontro'' have been released.

Discography

Albums

1. "Faisha Gechi" 2. "Shopno" 3. "Na Bola Kotha"

Album singles

''Faisa Gechi''

''Sharee''

''Keno Kichu Bolle Na?''

''30 Bochor''

''Shobi Miche''

''Shorkari Officer''

''Procharona''

''Mon Ki Je Chai''

''Bolore Hai Hai''

''Shobdortho''

Non-album singles

''Gonotontro'' / ''Democracy''

Movie Song

''Amake Amar Moto Thakte Dao''

References

Haider Hussain's lyrics

Category:Bangladeshi male singers Category:Bangladeshi Muslims Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Name	Runa Laila
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Runa Laila
Born	17 November 1952Sylhet, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
Genre	Ghazal, pop, fusion music
Occupation	Playback singer
Years active	1969–present
Instrument	Vocalist
Notable songs	Dama Dam Mast Qalandar, Ranjish e Sahi
Website	}}

Runa Laila ( (born 17 November 1952) is a singer of the Indian subcontinent who is from Bangladesh. She is effective in Ghazals also. She made a hit pair with famous singer Ahmed Rushdi after replacing Mala. She also has done numerous playbacks for movies in Bangladesh, India and Pakistani film industries during late 60s,70s and early 80's. Her best known number is ''Dama Dam Mast Qalandar'', a song covered by many artists.

Early life

Runa Laila was born in a middle class family on November 17, 1952, in Sylhet, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Her father was from Rajshahi. A music ustad would visit the family home, to teach classical music to Runa's elder sister Dina Laila. As younger siblings are wont to do, Runa too would sit down and pick it up effortlessly. But the energetic youngster's heart was in dance, and she was enrolled in a school where she learnt Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali. Her early music training was done when her family lived in Karachi's Federal B area in 1960. Ustad Qader, later known as Piya Rang, was her teacher.

Runa Laila was a bright youngster brought up in the typical Bengali mould, where the arts, like other fine things of life, were nurtured with just as much enthusiasm as to keep them buzzing happily within the family circle. Besides her classical training, she recalls gratefully the influence of Manzur Hussain on her career, since, instead of pampering her as a child, he told her that while her voice was good, it had certain flaws he needed her to work on. In those days, recording a song meant meeting a crowd of people in the studio, singing along with the orchestra and, should anyone make a mistake, starting over again from the beginning.

She started learning classical music at a very early age and received vigorous training from Ustad Habibiddin Khan. She made her first public debut as a singer at the age of six and cut her first disc for a Pakistani film called "Jugnu" at the age of twelve. She had a great inspiration from famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi as she followed his way of expressing emotions during singing and also made a hit pair with him later on.

Career

Runa's career as a singer came about by accident. It was her elder sister Dina who first got the break, but on the day of her performance, she developed a sore throat and Runa was asked to stand in. She was so little that she could not hold the 'Tanpura'. She held it horizontally and sang a 'kheyal'. She started appearing on the 'Zia Mohyuddin Show', a Karachi TV stage show (1972–74)and later did songs for numerous Pakistani films in the 70s. "Umra Jan Ada" (1972) was one such super hit film in which all but one song were sung by Runa Laila.

Sister Dina (once married to Pakistani politician from Sindh, Makhdoom Amin Fahim) would have followed in her footsteps but had to give up singing when she married. She later died of cancer. In memory of her sister, Runa held six concerts in Bangladesh and donated the entire proceeds to a children's hospital in Dhaka to build a cancer ward which has been named after her sister.

Films

She sang playback for many movies in Bangladesh and India and, before the independence of Bangladesh, in Pakistan. She is known for her songs "''Dama Dam Mast Qalandar''"which have been sung by other artists and "''Mera Babu Chhail Chhabeela Main to Nachoongigi''", .

She made a sensational entry into the Hindi filmdom with Ek Se Badkar Ek in 1974. Music lovers all over India were swinging to the rhythmic beat of ''Dama Dam Mast Qalander''.

Her songs in "Gharonda", which was released later, also did well with the audience. After that she withdrew from Mumbai but is still popular in India. Some of the music directors she has worked with are Jaidev, Kalyanji Anandji,Laxmikantaa-Pyaralal and Bappi Lahiri.

She is equally popular in the Bengali pop music space with songs like "''Sadher Lau Banailo Morey''", "''Shilpi ami, tomaderi gan shonabo''" and "''Bondhu Tin Din Tor Barite Gelam''".

Personal life

Runa Laila has an older sister named Dina Laila and a younger brother named Syed Ali Murad. She has been married four times and has a daughter named Tani Laila. Runa Laila first married Khawaza Javed Kaiser, secondly Maidul Islam, thirdly a Swiss citizen named Ron Danieland and lastly the famous Bangladeshi actor Alamgir.

Discography

Runa Laila-Kala Sha Kala March 23, 2010

Runa Laila - Moods & Emotions Dec 01 2008

Bazm-E-Laila

The Loves Of Runa Laila

Ganga Amar Ma Padma Amar Ma-Runa Laila

Superuna Dec 01 1982

Runa Goes Disco Sep 01 1982

Runa Sings Shahbaz Qalandar Sep 01 1982

Geet / Ghazals Sep 01 1976

Runa In Pakistan (Geet) Dec 01 1980

Runa In Pakistan (Ghazals) Dec 01 1980

Sincerely Yours Runa Laila

I Love to Sing for You

link: http://www.7digital.com/artists/runa-laila/ link:http://www.in.com/music/artist/runa-laila-9891-3.html

Filmography

Some of her Pakistani films are

Commander

Phir Subah Hogi

Gharonda

Hum Dono

Anjuman

Man Ki Jeet

Ehsaas

Dilruba

Bollywood

Gharonda

Ek Se Badhkar Ek

Yadgaar

Agnipath

sapnon ka mandir

jaaney bahar

Some of her Bangladeshi Films are

Shwaralipi

Dui Jibon

Antore Antore

The Rain

Awards

Bangladesh

* Independence Day Award,

* National Film Award, Bangladesh (4 times)

*Shelteck Award

*Lux Channel I Performance Award(Lifetime)

India

* Saigal Award, India

Pakistan

* Nigar Award (twice), Pakistan

* Critics Award

* Graduate Award (twice)

* National Council of Music gold medal

References

External links

Runa Laila Biography

Runa Laila's Singing in West Pakistan

Runa Laila Casts a Magic Spell

Bangla Music: Runa Laila Songs

Runa Laila Urdu,Hindi Song -Link help by Shohel Rana

Bangla song

Category:1952 births Category:Bengali musicians Category:Bangladeshi expatriates in Pakistan Category:Bangladeshi female singers Category:Ghazal singers Category:Living people Category:Nigar Award winners

bn:রুনা লায়লা de:Runa Laila ko:루나 라일라 hi:रूना लैला sd:رُونا ليليٰ