Remembering Azam Khan

Illustration: Yafiz siddiqui

June 5 marked the eighth death anniversary of Azam Khan, the pioneer of rock music in Bangladesh. With a discography of more than 20 albums, his legacy is untouchable. A freedom fighter and an advocate for peace at a time of violence, Azam Khan’s name was synonymous to the emerging underground rock music scene after liberation. Maqsoodul Haque, former vocalist of Feedback and musical researcher, notes in History of Rock – The Legacy of Azam Khan, “By mid 1973, words spread like wildfire in the youthful underground about the emergence of a man who had taken on the entire establishment, to do a new kind of music despite personal attacks and social criticism. That man was Azam Khan.” Without him, a big portion of the industry would not exist as we know it today. Azam Khan was a rock-star, and he rocked harder than anyone could. Azam Khan taught us how to rock. Rest in peace, Guru.