Musician Shujeo Shyam hospitalised with COVID-19 symptoms

Eminent composer, singer and music director Shujeo Shyam has been hospitalised in Dhaka with COVID-19 symptoms.

He was admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital with respiratory problems and fever around 12:30am on Wednesday, said his daughter Rupmanjuri Shyam.

“His health is better now. But his sample will be collected for COVID-19 test in the evening,” she told bdnews24.com.

Sujeo has been suffering from urinary tract infection for last two years. He was suffering from respiratory problems after being diagnosed with pneumonia a few months ago.

“He was given oxygen at a hospital in Dhanmondi two days ago after showing symptoms like fever and respiratory problems. Later the physicians advised his sample be tested for COVID-19 disease,” Rupmanjuri said.

Born in Syhlet in 1946, Sujeo was honoured with Ekushey Padak in 2018. He received Shilpakala Padak, Bharat Gourav Award, and Bangladesh’s highest civilian award Swadhinata Padak or Independence Award in 2015.

He joined the then East Pakistan Radio in 1964 as a guitarist and director of children’s music. He joined Dhaka Betar in 1968 and retired as the chief music producer at the Bangladesh Betar in 2001.

Sujeo Shyam has also directed music for movies. His works for the film ‘Hasan Raja‘ earned him his first national award. He received national awards also for ‘Joyjatra’ and ‘Obujh Bou’.

He composed nine songs at the Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra that were aired from June to December during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

His first song at the station was ‘Ayre chashi kuli majur’. The others included ‘Rokto die nam likhechhi’, ‘Ore shonre tora shon’, ‘Muktir ektai poth sangram’, ‘Rokto chai rokto chai’, ‘Aj rono saje bajiye bishan’, and ‘Aha dhonyo amar’.