Celebrated singer Shahnaz Rahmatullah laid to rest in Banani

Celebrated singer Shahnaz Rahmatullah has been laid to rest in Banani after receiving the final farewells of her relatives, political leaders and activists and fans.

The 67-year-old breathed her last at 11:30 pm on Saturday at her home in Baridhara.

She was buried at the Banani graveyard on Sunday after funeral prayers at the Baridhara Park Road Jamme Mosque after Zuhr prayers.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her condolences at the passing of the popular singer. Senior Information Ministry official Mir Akram Uddin Ahmed attended the burial on behalf of the information minister.

“The minister was unable to come,” he told bdnews24.com. “So I am representing the ministry today.”

Actor and BNP Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashraf Uddin Ahmed, popularly known as Uzzal, BNP Press Wing official Shairul Kabir and many others attended the burial.

Musicians Khurshid Alam, Fuad Naser Babu, songwriter Shahidullah Farazi, friends, relatives and fans attended the funeral service at the Park Mosque on Sunday.

The singer’s husband, retired Major Abul Bashar Rahmatullah, asked for everyone to pray that his wife could rest in peace.

Her daughter, Nahid Rahmat Ullah lives in London and her son AKM Saif Rahmat Ullah lives in Canada.

After the prayers, Khurshid Alam called for Shahnaz Rahmatullah’s music to be preserved.

“We have lost the songs of so many artists before her. That is why we should preserve her music.”

Leading figures of the music industry including lyricist Kabir Bakul, singers Tapan Chowdhury, Fuad Naser Babu, Dinat Jahan Munni and Shafiq Tuhin rushed to Shahnaz's home after word of her death spread on Sunday.

Shahnaz Rahmatullah was born on Jan 2, 1952 in Dhaka to M Fazlul Haq and Asiya Haq.

he Ekushey Padak and the National Film Award-winning singer, had developed a keen interest in music at an early age. Her brother late Anwar Parvez was a renowned music composer. Her other brother was the celebrated actor and singer Zafar Iqbal.

She performed as a playback singer in the film "Natun Sur" at the tender age of 11 in 1963. She went on to lend her voice to countless tunes since then. Shahnaz started singing on television from 1964. She sang a number of Urdu songs and Ghazals in the 1970s.

The revered vocalist was trained in advanced music by Ustad Phul Mohammed. She was also received musical training from Ustad Munir Hossain, Ghazal maestro Mehdi Hasan and Shahid Altaf Mahmud.

In 2006, the BBC ranked four of Shahnaz's songs on its list of the top 20 greatest Bengali songs of all time. Two of these were compositions of Anwar Parvez while the others were composed by Khan Ataur Rahman and Abdul Latif, respectively.

Shahnaz released four albums during her illustrious career which spanned nearly 50 years. Apart from the Ekushey Padak and the National Film Award, she won numerous awards, including the Shilpakala Academy Award and the BACHSAS Award for her contributions to music in Bangladesh.

Shahnaz Rahmatullah has also sung a number of patriotic songs. Her songs including "Je Chhilo Drishtir Shimanae", "Khola Janala", "Pari Na Bhule Jete" still linger in the hearts of her fans.

The eminent singer had taken a brief hiatus from music to devote herself to her religion.

In a 2017 interview with bdnews24.com, Shahnaz said, "I didn't feel like singing after returning from Umrah. I started praying then and my time is now spent in prayers."