Folk singer Fakir Alamgir dies of Covid-19

Folk singer Fakir Alamgir, who emerged as a noted Gono Sangeet (songs that depicts the lives of the masses) singer for his outstanding contributions to inspiring the people to join the country’s 1971 Liberation War, passed away on Friday night, reports BSS.

He breathed his last around 10:56 pm while undergoing treatment at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Covid unit of the United Hospital in the capital city, according Alamgir’s family sources.

He was 71.

The prominent singer suffered a cardiac arrest around 10:00pm at the Covid unit of the hospital where he was undergoing treatment for coronavirus complications. Covid unit in-charge physician Amina Sultana declared him dead at 10:56pm.

He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of folk legend Fakir Alamgir.

In a condolence message shortly after news broke of the singer’s death, she said that the role of Fakir Alamgir will always be remembered for his contribution in the musical arena of the country, especially his role in popularising Gono Sangeet.

She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alamalso released statements to mourn an iconic figure’s passing.

Momen, in a message, expressed deep shock at the death of freedom fighter and singer Fakir Alamgir.

“Fakir Alamgir was a shining star of the country’s cultural arena. People will remember his contributions forever,” he said.

Born in Faridpur, Fakir Alamgir started his music career in 1966 and played a vital role as a singer in 1969 uprising in the then East Pakistan and also in the anti-junta movement in 1990.

He worked with Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Liberation War and founded the cultural organisation “Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi” in 1976. He also served as the president of Gono Sangeet Samanaya Parishad (GSSP).

Fakir Alamgir was born in Kalamridha village in Bhanga of Faridpur district on 21 February 1950. His father was Hachen Uddin Fakir and mother Habibunnesa. He passed his secondary school exam from Kalamridha Gobinda High School in 1966 and got admitted to Jagannath College. He passed Bachelor exams from there. Fakir Alamgir acquired an MA in journalism from Dhaka University.

He was an active member of Students’ Union in 1966.

Fakir Alamgir has contributions in developing Bangla pop music. He and some other singers of his time mixed Western pop music with Bangla folk music to express their war time pains and experiences.

Many of his songs including ‘Santahar Junctione Dekha’, ‘Bonomali Tumi’, ‘Kalo Kalo Manusher Deshe’, ‘Mayer Ek Dhar Dudher Daam’, ‘Ahare Kallu Matabbar’, ‘O Julekha’ were huge hits. People still sing his ‘O Sakhina’. The song was an instant hit after it was aired in a BTV magazine ‘Anandamela’ in 1982. Fakir Alamgir himself was the lyricist and musician of the song.

Also a writer, Alamgir published his first book ‘Chena China’ in 1984. His next two publications were ‘Muktijuddher Smriti Bijoyer Gaan’ and ‘Gono Sangeeter Otit O Bortoman’.

In 2013, he published three books – ‘Amar Kotha’, ‘Jara Achhen Hridoy Potey’ and ‘Smriti Alaponey Muktijuddho’. So far, Alamgir authored nine books.

The noted singer was awarded different awards, including Ekushey Padak, Bhashani Padak and Sequence Award of Honour for his contributions.