Aia Lemonsky – Songs from a Bangladeshi Prison (Long Take EP4 – Full Episode)

LONG TAKE: LIFE AS AN ARTIST

This podcast dives into deep conversations with artists from across the globe, focusing on musicians and sound creators. Hosted by Norient founder Thomas Burkhalter, it explores the personal journeys of these artists—their aspirations, successes, challenges, creative processes, and perspectives on the world.

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EPISODE 4

Aia Lemonsky – Songs from a Bangladeshi Prison

In the fourth episode of «Long Take: Life as an Artist», Asif Iqbal, known as Aia Lemonsky, recalls how writing songs gave him strength to survive his time in prison. He sings us some of these songs - with the sounds of Dhaka in the background. Listen to this episode on YouTube, Spotify or all other platforms.

Music, writing, and drawing served as lifelines for Aia Lemonsky during his time of imprisonment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reflecting on that period, he recalls how music gave him the strength to face each day, writing helped him organize his thoughts, and drawing became a form of meditation. A man who started music in prison, and cherishes the sky and lemons, Aia was charged with defamation—a charge that has ensnared many in Bangladesh, often under the controversial Digital Security Act. This law has been widely criticized for violating human rights and suppressing freedom of speech. This interview was conducted while Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, was still in power. Her presidency ended in August 2024, when she fled to India following massive protests against her regime. Since his release, Aia Lemonsky has resumed creating music with his band, ‪@Kaaktaal‬ (which translates to "The Serendipity of Life"). In addition, he is building a career as an architect alongside being a professional graphic designer and video editor.

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CREDITS
Host: Thomas Burkhalter
Mix and Mastering: Daniel Jakob ‪@MelodiesInMyHeadVideo‬
Graphic Design (Cover): Pamuditha Zen Anjana
Editorial support: Rebecca Favale + the Norient Team
Funding: Pro Helvetia, srks Stiftung für Radio und Kultur Schweiz

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