Like most other citizens, musicians and music admirers, we are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Mobin. Mobin (36) was regarded by most musicians as the best sound engineer as well as a creative music instrument player in the country.

Mobin was born on January 6, 1969 in Dhaka. He did his schooling from BAF Shaheen School, attended Notre Dame College and Dhaka University.

One of his close friends, Thein Han Maung Titi -- director of Ektaar Music and managing director of Sound Machine, emotionally described Mobin as passionate and bohemian. He says, "Mobin was discovered way back but officially exposed during 1986/87.

"An instinctive musician, he created wonders with sound without any official training whatsoever. He was not only a sound engineer but a groovy bassist who played bass in Winning's album Ochena Shohor. Creating amazing sounds for hit albums like Tajmahal ,Dukhini Dukhho Korona and the first time feat --unplugged album Ferari Mon.

"His greatest sorrow was that the hard work of a sound engineer always went unnoticed by the music fans due to inadequate coverage."

Mobin's professional life was neatly described by Isha khan Duray--colleague at the Sound Garden recording studio. "He was my Guru. He was my driving force behind what little I am now. The studio flourished ever since he joined Sound Garden. His popularity captured both the Underground and the Mainstream music genres which included names like Miles, Feedback, LRB, James, Aurthohin, Cryptic Fate and more. He mixed the l Charpotro album, which is still marked as the making of new rock bands in Bangladesh. Screw Driver and Capsule were great albums mixed by this promising musician Mobin. To my honest recollection, Prometheus's latest album was his last work", says Durey.

Another nostalgic musician Maqsoodul Huq of Maqsood O Dhaka says "I knew him as a young boy. In 1993, at the Chittagong M A Aziz stadium, he mixed sound for a milestone open air concert. I could feel he was an instinctive musician. And it was amazing how we shared the same favourite sound engineer, Bob Clearmountain. We both learnt about creative sound mixing from international concert audio and videos. He was a perfectionist. Mobin's entrance in to our musical arena was like adding talent to the existing list of sound engineers who were badly needed around 1993.

"He mixed quite a few of my albums. The very controversial album Nishidhho, as well as albums like Bauliana, Deho Ghori were mixed by him. I remember the first production Khuji Tomakey Khuji of Maqsood 'o Dhaka was mixed by Mobin. That was the song, which brought the band to limelight.

"Mobin was also a great troubleshooter. I found very few people in our music scene who could locate and troubleshoot problems related to sound and musical instruments.

"A very unfortunate phase in Mobin's career was from December 1997 till the end of 1998, when he was cornered in our music scene. He was not allowed in any concerts or musical production due to the steaming politics in the music scene. That phase particularly was painful for this rather shy musician".

One of the role models from the Underground, Sumon of Aurthohin, and bassist of the band also explained his work with Mobin as a privilege. "I could be sure that the work would be professional when working with him. His talents and experience will be greatly missed. I was once blown away by one of his pieces of studio work. What an amazing slap (a bass guitar playing technique) I thought and went to congratulate him. And to my surprise he said that whole portion was done by a guitar pick. Only a talented musician can do something like that", says Sumon.

Someone once said, "Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is the talent which dies with the soul". Imran Ahmed Chowdhury Mobin's death is indeed a great loss to our music industry for years to come.