Nilufar Yasmeen: Tribute by peers
Born on February 13, 1948, and brought up in a cultural environment, Nilufar Yasmeen's had an early orientation to music. She used to listen to songs of master artistes Angurbala Devi, Indubala, Kamla Jharia, Harimati, K Mallik, Gyan Goswami, SD Burman and Abbasuddin on gramophone records in her childhood. Subsequently, she would sing these songs with her mother at home.
From 1964 to 1985, she took her lessons in classical music under Ustad PC Gomez. Sarangi player Ustad Sagir Uddin Khan, Ustad A Daud of Murshidabad and Mira Banerjee, the direct disciple of Ustad Barey Ghulam Ali Khan, were also among her mentors.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Nilufar Yasmeen received the Bangladesh Cine Journalists Association Awards (BACHSHASH) in 1975, National Film Awards for the film Shubhoda, Nazrul Institute Award and Ekushey Padak posthumously in 2004.
She performed many playback songs in films of the golden era such as Shubhoda, Jowar Bhata, Abar Tora Manush Ho and Jalchhobi. She was a teacher in the Department of Music and Dramatics of Dhaka University for a considerable time. Nilufar Yasmeen died on March 10, 2003.
Dedicated to the memory of Nilufar, the programme started with one of her very moving songs on record Tomareyi bhalobeshechhi ami tomareyi bhalobashibo. Among others, venerable litterateur Dr Anisuzzaman, Amalesh Das Gupta, Dr Mridul Kanti Chakrobarti and Nilufar's elder sister Dr Najma Yasmeen shared remembrances of the singer. Eminent singers Sabina Yasmeen, Mita Haque, Khairul Anam Shakil, Sharmin Shathi Islam, her only son Agun, and Mofizur Rahman rendered different songs. In the latter part of the programme, a documentary film, Swarer Swajon, on the musical life of Nilufar Yasmeen was screened.