Papia Sarwar, one of Bangladesh's most renowned and prolific Rabindra Sangeet artistes, passed away at a private hospital in the capital on Thursday. She was 72. She breathed her last at the hospital around 8 am, her husband Sarwar Alam told media. The Ekushey Padak-winning revered singer , who had been battling with cancer for three years, was admitted to the ICU and placed on life support following a deterioration in her health condition on Wednesday. ‘Ei Padma Ei Meghna’ lyricist Abu Zafar no more She is survived by her husband and two daughters- Zaara Sarwar and Jisha SarwarPapia Sarwar . Born on November 21 into a musically inclined family in Barisal, Papia Sarwar pursued Rabindra Sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in 1973 through a scholarship offered by the government of India. She was the first recipient of this scholarship after the country's independence. Earlier, she had received her initial music training from renowned mentors Atiqul Islam, Waheedul Haq, Sanjida Khatun, and Zahidur Rahim at Chhayanaut in 1966, later continuing at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA). Throughout her illustrious musical career, Papia Sarwar earned widespread admiration and numerous accolades for her expertise in Rabindra Sangeet. In 1996, she established a music group named Geetosudha to share her knowledge with aspiring learners. Ex-Chief Justice Ruhul Amin dies at 83 Her modern song, ‘Nai Telephone Nai Re Peon Nai Re Telegram’, gained immense popularity among Bengali music enthusiasts. Besides, she became a well-known and beloved figure in the television industry through her regular musical performances. For her outstanding contributions to the country’s music scene, Papia Sarwar was honoured with the Rabindra Award from Bangla Academy in 2013, a Bangla Academy Fellowship in 2015 and the Ekushey Padak in 2021.

Bollywood on Thursday bade a tearful adieu to legendary singer-composer Bappi Lahiri who passed away in the western Indian city of Mumbai on Tuesday. Lahiri was cremated as per Hindu traditions at the Vile Parle crematorium after his son Bappa rushed back from the US for the final rites of the 'Disco King of Bollywood'.  The 69-year-old, who introduced synthesised disco beats to Bollywood, died at a hospital in Mumbai around midnight on Tuesday. Hospital doctors had attributed Lahiri's death to obstructive sleep apnea. Also read: Bappi Lahiri, the disco king of Bollywood, departs Originally from Bengal, Lahiri shot to fame in Bollywood in the 1980s and 1990s for his music in blockbusters like 'Wardat', 'Disco Dancer', 'Namak Halaal' and 'Sharaabi'. He last movie song was for 'Baaghi 3' in 2020. Lahiri's last public appearance though was on reality TV show 'Big Boss 15', where he had appeared with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to promote his grandson Swasti's new song Baccha Party. In 2014, Lahiri joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and was made its candidate from Srerampur parliamentary constituency in Bengal. He, however, failed to make it to the Indian Parliament. Also read: Runa Laila remembers friend, collaborator Bappi Lahiri

Eminent litterateur and freedom fighter Begum Mushtari, also known as ‘Shaheed Jaya’ (wife of Shaheed) Begum Mushtari Shafi, passed away at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka on Monday. He was 84. Begum Mushtari was undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital for various complications, including kidney and blood infections, said her son-in-law Abdullah Zafar. Zafar said Mushtari suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday afternoon when she was on life support. She then breathed her last at 5 pm. Mushtari was brought to Dhaka from Chattogram on December 2 for her kidney-related complications and blood infections. She was then put on life support. READ: DU Professor of Sanskrit Department dies of Covid Born on January 15, 1936 in West Bengal, Begum Mushtari participated in the 1952 Language Movement. Her ancestral home is in Faridpur district.  In the 1960s, she founded a women organization called 'Bandhabi Sangha' in Chattogram.  From this organization, she published a regular magazine, 'Bandhabi', and started a printing house called 'Meyeder Press', which were considered as remarkable activities at a time when women activists were rare in society. On April 7, 1971, when the Liberation War began, her husband doctor Mohammad Shafi and younger brother Ehsanul Haque Ansari were assassinated by the Pakistani Military.  Holding that grief in her heart, Begum Mushtari worked in Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra till Bangladesh earned its victory on December 16, 1971. She preserved the memories and her experiences about the Liberation War in some of her notable books, namely 'Women of Chittagong in the War of Liberation,’ 'Letter to Jahanara Imam' and 'Swadhinata Amar Roktojhora Din'. She also wrote essays, novels, travelogues, teen stories and memoirs. READ: National Professor Rafiqul Islam dies at 87 For her contribution to the field of Bengali literature, Bangla Academy awarded Begum Shafi a fellowship in 2016. She also received the state award 'Rokeya Padak' in literature, last year. She was an active member of the 1971 Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee, and also an avid supporter and activist in the 2013 Shahbag protests at the Gonojagaran Mancha, Shahbag in the capital.

Petra Mayer, books editor for National Public Radio, died Saturday of what’s believed to be a pulmonary embolism, the news organization said. She was 46. Mayer is remembered for her reporting at Comic-Con and helping put together NPR’s Book Concierge, an annual interactive guide that filters titles based on interest to recommend to readers. She was an occasional guest on “Pop Culture Happy Hour” podcast episodes, and her colleagues said she was a proud nerd who loved science fiction and comics. READ: Toab Khan joins as Editor of new ‘Dainik Bangla’ NPR’s senior vice president for news, Nancy Barnes, said in an email to staff that she died suddenly at Holy Cross Hospital in Maryland. “Petra was NPR through and through,” Barnes wrote. Mayer joined NPR Books team in 2012 after working as an associate producer and director for “All Things Considered” on the weekends, handling the show’s books coverage. READ: 2nd janaza of Janakantha editor Atikullah on Thursday Her biography on NPR's website said she first joined as an engineering assistant in 1994 while attending Amherst College, but left a few years later for a news writing job at Boston's WBUR and for a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She returned to NPR in 2000.