Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent Rezwana Choudhury Bannya recalled her first meeting with Papia Sarwar in 1975. At the time, Papia—then known as Papia Rahman—was a third-year student at Sangit Bhavana (Institute of Dance, Drama, and Music) at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, where Bannya had just begun her musical journey.

Papia Sarwar, renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and Ekushey Padak laureate, passed away at a private hospital in Dhaka yesterday. She was 72.