Ekushey Padak recipient mass-music legend Fakir Alamgir passed away on Friday night, and noted personalities in the cultural arena of Bangladesh have shared their deep condolence and reminisce fond memories with the singer, ever since the news of his departure broke into the news. Aged 71, the beloved singer breathed his last on Friday night, hours after suffering a heart attack  at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the United Hospital, where he was admitted since mid-July after catching Covid-19. Sharing his tribute, Hanif Sanket, creator of the popular magazine show ‘Ittyadi’ wrote on his official Facebook page: “Fakir Alamgir, the artist of the masses, has passed away. I am feeling the pain of losing a relative in the news of the sudden death of this great artist, filled with human qualities. Recently I was quite alarmed at the news of his illness and I was also keeping my eyes on his updates. I spoke to Bhabhi two days ago and she informed me that he was a little stable and asked for prayers." “I saw a glimmer of hope,” he added; “but he lost his battle against the deadly coronavirus. He has always played a leading role in various movements for the rights of the artists, just as he has inspired people in various movements. In the cultural arena, he has always been by the side of everyone's happiness and sorrow. I have a lot of conversations with him - many stories - many memories. I remember the memorable times when we attended many events together. I seek his forgiveness and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family.” Read: Folk music legend Fakir Alamgir leaves the stage for the last time Noble Laureate and recently conferred with the prestigious Olympic Laurel, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus said he is deeply saddened by the news, and shared a fond memory with the singer, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of mass artist Fakir Alamgir, a prominent freedom fighter and artist of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. His departure is an irreparable loss to Bengali culture, especially folk music. Throughout his life, he sang in the language of the souls of the poor and miserable people and he was always vocal in various movements. His folk music touched my heart with his performance about the Grameen Bank service at the Nobel Prize-winning public reception in October 2006.” Alamgir was a pivotal member of the Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance, and its current President Advocate Tarana Halim wrote, “On behalf of the Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family on the death of Fakir Alamgir, the eminent Ekushey Medal recipient and legendary performer of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. His role in popularizing the folk music of this country will forever be memorable.” Kaushik Hossain Taposh, musician, Managing Director and CEO of private television channel Gaan Bangla Television who worked with Fakir Alamgir on his reprised presentation of Alamgir’s massively popular song ‘O Sokhina’ at the channels ‘Wind of Change’ programme said, “Rest in Peace dearest Fakir bhai! May Allah bless you. No words will be enough to express our feelings.” Prominent singer Kanak Chapa wrote on her Facebook: “Our Fakir Alamgir is gone! Innalillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun. The man with the vitality of such an energized young man got defeated by the terrible claws of Corona! I'm in mourning, I do not have the language to express this regret.” Read: Fakir Alamgir : When the song ends “He fought for Mass-Music throughout his whole life. He became the spokesman of the masses. He was the lifeblood of our folk music,” she added. Popular actor and singer Chanchal Chowdhury wrote, “Fakir bhai, stay well in your afterlife. You used to like taking photographs. We couldn’t take the last photo together.” Noted thespian and Member of the Parliament Suborna Mustafa said, “Fakir Alamgir - the end of an era. Deepest respect to the departed soul. Our music world won't be the same without him. Condolences to his family and friends, may his soul rest in eternal peace.” Singer and journalist Elita Karim wrote, “Goodbye Fakir Alamgir - a legend, a changemaker, a patriot, a young heart, a happy person - thank you for showing us all respect and giving us all so much love! May you rest in peace.” Apart from the cultural personalities, several cultural institutions and organizations including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Liberation War Museum Bangladesh, Chhayanaut, Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance and more have also paid respect to the legendary singer. Fakir Alamgir was laid to eternal rest earlier today at the Taltola Graveyard, following a last namaz-e-janaza post-Zuhr at the Khilgaon Matir Mosque.

So Fakir Alamgir bhai is gone and with him goes a cultural world which can never be resurrected as the world that produced it is gone. He came from a world where arts and politics lived together and both were supposed to belong to the people. They were songs of the pre-digital era and sounded best when sung to a crowd of cheering lads who wanted social change. He was into Left politics too, when some of the best were there. Today’s FB radicals wouldn’t be able to recognize that era when social change was just thought to be a few songs away. It didn’t happen of course, and for many reasons including history - but the legacy of the music stayed on. The past of a “people’s” cultural movement is now part of our memory but a strong one too. And much of that belonged to Fakir Alamgir bhai, now gone at 71. The 70s were the great years where culture flourished. There was no money, no dhandabazi - so those drawn to it were citizens genuinely interested in the arts. There was the mainstream so to speak but the sub-stream was no less strong. Often they would draw huge crowds. Part of that was because so many were part of the 'Great Dream': although none were fully sure what it was, it was a shared dream. Also read: Folk music legend Fakir Alamgir leaves the stage for the last time In the mass media era Fakir Alamgir sang all over Bangladesh but his favourite haunt was Dhaka University Arts building chattor. That’s where the young came to hear him and he sang for them. But by the end of the 70s the world had started to change in most ways and Left politics or whatever it was went into a steep decline from which it never recovered. Slowly as the economics grew mass media began to be strong. And the songs which most people will remember him by – his Sokhina songs – gained popularity on BTV reaching millions. Many of those who had heard him sing at DU were now tuning in their TV sets. We had been together in our 70s era but times were changing. I don’t know how much he knew that but there was a new crowd , new demands and a new society where many more products were competing. His original loyalists were now spread all over the world with remittance generation lovingly remembering him and spreading it on Youtube but he was never far away from the live crowd. Even as his voice aged and the lungs no longer reverberated with the pain and rage of the migrant forced to the city for survival longing for an imagined rural paradise they may never have had, the songs remained. Also read: Folk music legend Fakir Alamgir in ICU with Covid-19 The era closes In the end, he belonged and symbolized an era, one where songs contributed to social change, an active ingredient. Today’s songs are more reactive, produced by change and lifestyle. Almost everyone is a stranger here and now who belonged to his era. But he has still prevailed. That he is remembered for his songs decades after they were sung shows that the digital era actually served him, his songs and those who love him. So farewell Fakir Alamgir bhai, move on singing to another call from the crowd to sing one of their favourites again.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday expressed deep shock and sorrow  at the death of one of the members of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kedra, and  prominent Gono Sangeet artist of the country Fakir Alamgir. Read: Fakir Alamgir on life support 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 popularisong Gono Sangeet. Read: Folk legend Fakir Alamgir leaves the stage for the last time She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen , Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam also 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. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam also expressed deep shock at the death of singer Fakir Alamgir.  He conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members and sought salvation of the departed soul. Fakir Alamgir, whose songs became entwined in the everyday lives of his countrymen, lost his battle with the coronavirus on Friday night, passing away in the capital's United Hospital after his condition deteriorated in the evening. The beloved singer breathed his last at 10:56pm in the hospital's ICU, where he was receiving treatment for over a week. He was 71.   

Pre-eminent folk singer and Ekushey Padak-awardee Fakir Alamgir, whose songs became entwined in the everyday lives of his countrymen, lost his battle with the coronavirus on Friday night, passing away in the capital's United Hospital after his condition deteriorated in the evening. The beloved singer breathed his last at 10:56pm in the hospital's ICU, where he was receiving treatment for over a week. He was 71.  Mashuque Alamgir Rajeeb, son of Fakir Alamgir, confirmed the death to UNB. Also read: Fakir Alamgir on life support The folk legend was put on life support last Sunday, having been admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital since the early hours of the previous Friday. But his condition took an irrevocable turn for the worse today following a heart attack in the evening. Details regarding his last rites are expected to be revealed in due course by his family. Born on a famous and most fitting date (February 21, 1950 - pre-empting the Language Movement by a couple of years) in a village called Kalamridha in Bhanga of Faridpur, Fakir Alamgir stepped into the music arena in 1966.   Not afraid to use his platform as an artist, he played a vital role during the mass uprising of 1969 as a member of the Kranti Shilpi Gosthi and Gana Shilpi Gosthi. During the 1971 Liberation War, he crossed the border and joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and performed frequently to inspire freedom fighters. In independent Bangladesh, Alamgir played a pivotal role in the development of Bengali pop music alongside Ferdous Wahid, Azam Khan, Pilu Momtaz and others who led a generation of artists in shedding conventions to combine elements of indigenous music with contemporary western imports. In his illustrious career, several of his songs including "O Sokhina", "Shantahar", "Nelson Mandela", "Naam Tar Chhilo John Henry", "Banglar Comrade Bondhu", to name just a few, became very popular and achieved monumental success. They allowed him to attain ubiquitous name-recognition, and even enjoy an almost direct, one-to-one relationship with his fanbase. Arguably no other Bangladeshi male artist would be as instantly recognisable in almost any corner of the country as Fakir Alamgir, with his unruly, flowing shock of hair and Seventies moustache. A Master's graduate of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism in Dhaka University, Fakir Alamgir was also a keen writer and researcher. He published several books including 'Gono Sangeet er Oteet O Bortoman', 'Muktijuddher Smriti o Bijoyer Gaan', 'Amar Kotha', 'Jara Achhen Hridoypotey' and more. He was also the founder of the cultural organization 'Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi' in 1976, and served as the president of Gono Sangeet Shamanya Parishad (GSSP). The government conferred the Ekushey Padak on Fakir Alamgir in 1999, for his significant contribution to music, and thereby the cultural arena of Bangladesh. Fakir Alamgir is survived by his wife and two sons, and leaves behind a sea of admirers to mourn the passing of one who spoke directly to their hearts.

Legendary folk singer Fakir Alamgir was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the United Hospital in the capital on Thursday night  after contracting Covid-19. The folk icon has been suffering from fever for the last three days and was taken to a local hospital after his condition worsened, said his wife Suraiya Alamgir. Read:Mushfiq’s parents test positive for Covid-19 She said Alamgir's lungs are 25 percent infected and sought dua from his fans, admirers and well-wishers. Fakir Alamgir stepped into the music arena in 1966 and played a vital role during the mass upsurge of 1969 as a member of the Kranti Shilpi Gosthi and Gana Shilpi Gosthi. During the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, he joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and performed frequently to inspire freedom fighters. After the independence of the country, Alamgir played a pivotal role in the development of Bengali pop music alongside Ferdous Wahid, Azam Khan, Pilu Momtaz and others by combining indigenous tunes with western music. Read: Khaled Mahmud tests positive for Covid-19 In his illustrious career, several of his songs including "O Sokhina", "Shantahar", "Nelson Mandela", "Naam Tar Chhilo John Henry", "Banglar Comrade Bondhu" became very popular and achieved monumental success. A Masters' graduate of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University, Fakir Alamgir has also been a writer. He has published several books including 'Gono Sangeet er Oteet O Bortoman', 'Muktijuddher Smriti o Bijoyer Gaan', 'Amar Kotha', 'Jara Achhen Hridoypotey' and more. Read: Abul Hayat tests positive for Covid-19 Alamgir is the founder of the cultural organization 'Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi' in 1976. He has also served as the president of Gono Sangeet Shamanya Parishad (GSSP). The government awarded the Ekushey Padak to Fakir Alamgir in 1999 for his significant contribution to music.