'Baul king' Shah Abdul Karim buried

Sunamganj, Sept 13 (bdnews24.com)--'Baul king' Shah Abdul Karim was laid to rest beside his wife on Sunday in his village home in Ujan Dhal of Tarhar union at Dirai upazila in Sunamganj.

Earlier, the coffin was taken to Dirai from Sylhet Diabetic Hospital mortuary. The body was kept at the upazila's Shaheed Minar for people to pay their last tribute to the mystic poet.

Many parties and organisations laid flowers on the coffin.

The second namaj-e-janaza of Karim was held at BADC ground of the upazila Sadar at around 12:30pm.

Sunamganj-3 constituency MP MA Mannan, deputy commissioner Jahir Uddin Ahmed, police superintendent Golam Kibria, upazila chairman Abdul Kuddus and the poet's relatives and admirers attended the prayer.

The body was then taken to his village. Thousands of people flocked there to have a last glimpse of the famous man.

Karim was buried beside wife Sarala Bibi's grave.

The legendary musician died at a Sylhet clinic due to old age complications on Saturday at the age of 93.

Given the title of 'Baul Samrat' or 'Baul King' by the people, Karim left over a thousand songs, including the famous Gari Cholena Cholena, to the mystic folk song tradition of the Bengal region.

Karim's only son Shah Noor Jalal told bdnews24.com that his father was admitted to the Noor Jahan Poly Clinic in Sylhet city on Sept 3. He had been on life support there since noon Friday after his health worsened.

"He had been suffering from respiratory problems, due to a lung infection, among other old-age complications," Karim's doctor Faisal Ahmed told bdnews24.com.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep sadness at the death. "His passing away is an irreparable loss to Bangali culture," she said in a condolence message.

Abdul Karim was born in the village of Ujandhol on the banks of the Kalni River in Sunamganj on February 15, 1916.

He was awarded the Ekushey Padak, one of the highest civilian honours in the country, in 2001.

Much of Karim's vast catalogue of over 1,500 songs is available in a collection of six volumes, among them the popular Gramer Noujowan Hindu Musalman, Maya Lagaise and Boshonto Batashe.

Nurul Haque, a resident of Ujandhol, said the whole community was proud of their famous son.

"We take great pride in the fact that such a great Baul king was born in our village. A light has been extinguished in the world," said Haque.

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