Ark (Bangladeshi band)

Ark
Ark live at concert
Background information
Origin	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Genres	Rock, Pop rock
Years active	1991–2002, 2010-present
Labels	Sargam, Soundtek, Sangeeta
Associated acts	Sumon (Paper Rhyme), Bulbul (Prometheus), Habib Wahid
Members	Ashikuzzaman Tulu Hasan Faisal Morshed Tinku Rumi
Past members	Pancham Shamim Partho Fredous Mobin Shamsul Farid Jahangir Alam Raja Shishir Joy Rezwan Jewel Balam Bulbul Riju Tonty

Ark (Bengali: আর্ক) is a Bangladeshi rock band formed in 1991 by keyboardist Ashikuzzaman Tulu. As of 2014, the band line-up re-consists of keyboardist and vocalist Ashikuzzaman Tulu, lead vocalist Hasan, lead guitarist Faisal, bassist Morshed, keyboardist Tinku and drummer Rumi. Since their debut album Muktijuddho in 1991, the band has released five studio albums and some contributed albums. These have included the songs "Bhule Gechi", "Sweety", "Eto Koshto Keno Bhalobashay", "Paharer Churay", "Jare Ja", "Durey Bohu Durey", and "Harale Kothay", which have all been top hits in Bangladeshi rock music.

Ark rose to mainstream fame in 1990s and is one of the "Big Three of Rock" along with Nagar Baul and LRB, who were responsible for developing and popularizing rock music in Bangladesh.

Ark was formed in 1991 in Dhaka by keyboardist and vocalist Ashikuzzaman Tulu, when he met guitarist Pancham, who was playing guitar in a studio.

Ashikuzzaman Tulu, a prominent figure in the Bangla music industry in the 80s and 90s, was a founder member of Chime, along with Khalid, Shoukat Ali Imon (composer) and Sumon (current vocal of Pentagon). Tulu was the principal composer for Chime. In the late 80s, after the release of Chimes's second album, there was a huge dispute between Chime and Winning, another legendary contemporary band, over the rights to the track "Mon Ki Je Chay". The song was written, tuned and composed by Haydar Hossain of Winning, and was also included in Winning's debut album. Winning won the rights to the song in a Trial. This episode was detrimental to Chime's reputation and eventually, Tulu was fired.

Frustrated, Tulu started his career as a composer, but as a veteran band musician, couldn't live without being in a band. When he met Pancham and some other great musicians, most notably Partho Protim Mazumdar, elder brother of Bappa Mazumdar, he formed the band Ark.

The band's first line-up consisted of keyboardist and vocalist Ashikuzzaman Tulu, lead guitarist and vocalist Pancham, lead vocalist Shamim, bassist Ferdous, Mobin, Partho and Jagu. This first line-up was without a drummer.