Two valiant freedom fighters and leading voice soldiers of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra — singer Bulbul Mahalanobis and founding organiser Ashfaqur Rahman Khan — have passed away.
Bulbul, 70, breathed her last at her Dhaka residence around 2am Friday. She was suffering from several old-age complications.
Meanwhile, Ashfaqur, 81, breathed his last at Square Hospital around 8:30am on Friday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Mohammed Shahabuddin expressed deep shock at the deaths of the duo.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi and other cultural organisations also mourned their deaths.
Bulbul is survived by her husband, two sons and a daughter. Her body has been kept in the mortuary of a private hospital.
Family sources said her eldest son is currently in the US. Her funeral will be held after he arrives in Bangladesh.
Ashfaqur is survived by one son and one daughter. He was given a guard of honour and his namaz-e-janaza was held after the Asr prayer before he was buried at the family graveyard at his village home in Sreenagar’s Sehologhar later on Friday, said family sources.
Bulbul was a poet, author, musician, drama and reciting artiste, and presenter of art-literary-cultural programmes on television and radio stages, which made her one of the pioneers in the cultural arena.
With her death, the cultural arena has incurred an irreparable loss. The famous artist will remain alive to the countrymen with her works, the prime minister said in a condolence message.
Bulbul was one of the artists who took part in the song “Bijoy Nishan Urchhe Oi” (The victory flag flies high), which was broadcast on the radio to mark the historic moment of Bangladesh’s victory in the 1971 Liberation War.
The famous artist also served Nazrul Sangit Shilpi Parishad as vice president, Rabindra Academy as general secretary, as well as many other cultural and social organisations like Jatiya Kabita Parishad, Kachikachar Mela, Udichi, Sectors' Commander Forum and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra.
Meanwhile, Ashfaqur, former deputy director general (programme) of Bangladesh Betar, was among the eight to 10 radio workers who broadcast Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic March 7 speech from Dhaka station of the erstwhile Pakistan radio on March 8 in 1971, risking their lives and ignoring dire consequence of Pakistan military junta.
At the beginning of the Liberation War, he risked his life and joined Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra by taking the tapes from Dhaka Betar Kendra.
Ashfaqur was awarded the Independence Award in 2001 for his outstanding contribution to the Liberation War.
With his death, Bangladesh lost one of its great sons. This fearless voice soldier, media personality and great freedom fighter will remain remembered forever by the people of the country due to his works,” the prime minister said in another condolence message.
