Salam Salam Hajar Salam
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Noted lyricist Fazal-e-Khuda, best known for the legendary song "Salam Salam Hajar Salam", passed away yesterday.
He breathed his last around 4:00am at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital.
The 80-year-old artiste and his wife Mahmuda Sultana tested positive for coronavirus before his death.
Born in Pabna's Banagram on March 9, 1941, the lyricist penned more than 10,000 in his 50-year-long career.
Artistes like Bashir Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar, Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, Rabindranath Roy and Apple Mahmud were amongst the few who gave voice to his lyrics.
Kamal Dasgupta, Azad Rahman, Subal Das, Abdul Ahad, Satya Saha and Debu Bhattacharya, among other music composers, worked with him throughout his illustrious career.
In 1963, Fazal-e-Khuda was listed as a lyricist for radio. After a year, he became a listed lyricist for television. He was also the regional director of Dhaka Betar.
In a 2006 survey by the BBC, his song "Salam Salam Hajar Salam", voiced by his dear friend Abdul Jabbar, made it to the 20 best Bangla songs of all-time.
Fazal-e-Khuda was renowned for his patriotic, modern, folk, and Islamic songs.
Some of his notable songs include "Je Deshete Shapla Shaluk Jhiler Jole Bhashe", "Bhalobashar Mullo Koto, Ami Kichu Jani Na", and "Kolshi Kaandhe Ghaate Jai Kon Rooposhi", among others.
Eminent singer Rafiqul Alam said, "He was a great man. I did many songs with him, among which 'Tomakey Jeno Bhuley na Jai' became very popular."
Elocutionist Ashraful Alam, who is a Shadhinata Purashkar awardee and Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artiste, spoke highly of Fazal-e-Khuda.
"He was extremely creative, and was always busy with his work," he said, adding that Fazal was the founding director of Shapla Shaluk, an organisation dedicated to children and teenagers.
"During his Betar days, Fazal alone published three magazines, among which one was in English! I hope he rests in peace," Ashraful further said.
Eminent Gono Sangeet artiste Fakir Alamgir posted his anguish on Facebook.
"We've seen many people achieve the Shadhinata Award and Ekushey Padak, ones who were against our freedom in the first place," he wrote.
"It is extremely tragic that a dedicated artiste like Fazal-e-Khuda received neither of these awards. May he rest in peace."
Besides Fakir Alamgir, various cultural personalities expressed their condolences on the departure of the great artiste.
Fazal-e-Khuda is survived by three sons and his wife, who is also under treatment at a city hospital.
He was buried in the capital's Rayer Bazar Graveyard yesterday.
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