Kangalini Sufia in ICU
Noted folk singer Kangalini Sufia has been shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar after her health conditions deteriorated.
She was hospitalised on Tuesday with throat pain.
Prof Dr Moeen Uddin Ahmed, head of the cardiology department at the hospital, said she is suffering from multiple complications including throat pain, kidney disease, irregularities of blood circulation in the brain, and heart problems.
“We are having trouble treating her heart because there is a restriction on the use of drugs on a kidney patient,” he said. “We are trying our best.”
Although she has been in ICU since Thursday, her condition became critical on Saturday.
“She is improving now, but not out of danger,” Dr Moeen said.
Talking to this correspondent at the hospital, Sufia's daughter Pushpo Begum said, “We were scheduled to go to India's Howrah this month to perform in a three-day stage show. Visa processing is almost complete, but mother fell sick all of a sudden.”
“Doctors told us that she is not out of danger. I request all to pray for my mother,” said Pushpo, also a member of Sufia's eight-member music team. “So far, we spent Tk 60,000-70,000 on her. We collected most of the money by borrowing,” she said. “Dr Enamur Rahman MP, owner of the hospital, assured us of bearing the treatment cost, but we are still on our own.”
Pushpo sought the prime minister's help for her mother's treatment.
Meanwhile, Baul Jahangir, a disciple of Kangalini Sufia, said, “I'm very shocked that no singer has come to see my guru although she has been in hospital for six days.”
Sufia, now 70, was born to Hindu parents Khokon Halder and Tulu Halder in Rajbari. At the age of 14 or 15, she began singing at village functions and was received with applause. The singer married Sudhir Halder, and three years after the Liberation War, converted to Islam and took on the name Sufia Khatun.
In the early years of her career, Sufia emulated Ustad Halim Boyati and Aynal Boyati of Faridpur, but she soon grew her distinctive style. Mustafa Monwar, former director general of Shilpakala Academy, christened her "Kangalini Sufia".
Sufia was a regular artiste of Bangladesh Betar and BTV as well as private stations. She also performed in the UK, South Korea, Qatar, Italy, Hong Kong, the US, Thailand, China and India.
Sufia has some of the most popular folk songs to her credit including "Poran-er bandhob re, buri hoilam tor karone," "Narir kachhe keu jaiyo na," and "Konba pothey Nitaigonj-e jai." She was also a playback singer for three films: "Darodi Shatru," "Agun," and "Raj Shinghashon”.
Kangalini Sufia has received at least 30 national awards including Shilpakala Padak 2017 and 10 international awards, said her daughter Pushpo.
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