Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud presents the honor crest to Sabina Yasmin on behalf of the state. Photo: Mir Hossain
A professional music career of nearly six decades. However, due to illness, she has not been seen singing much recently. However, the ever-familiar Sabina Yasmin was found yesterday, Sunday evening. Honors, songs and memories made it a memorable evening. Sabina Yasmin was honored and her solo concert was held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy yesterday. The program was organized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and managed by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The busy schedule surrounding the organization of Sabina Yasmin’s solo concert and reception started last week. The artist spent a busy time rehearsing with a 16-member instrumental group in the Shilpakala Academy’s rehearsal room last Wednesday. It can be seen from the ground that the combined sounds of tabla, harmonium, keyboard, guitar and violin were floating outside the rehearsal room. The musicians were playing and Sabina Yasmin was the center of it all. The renowned musician, a person full of vitality, was singing to the rhythm of the musical instrument. How many times she has sung in so many programs in the country and abroad, but how much dedication she still has in her rehearsals! How much concentration! After waiting, she got a break. She said with a smile that she still rehearses regularly before any program.
Afzal Hossain came on stage at 7:27 pm and started the program. At the beginning, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late writer and researcher, politician and President of the National Liberation Council, Badruddin Umar. A short documentary made by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs about Sabina Yasmin was shown. There, her contemporaries, senior and junior artists talked about this renowned artist.
Sabina Yasmin is performing at the National Theatre of the Shilpakala Academy.
After the documentary screening, the artists of the Shilpakala Academy performed a group dance to the tune of Sabina Yasmin’s song ‘Gitimoy Sey Din Chirdin’.
Then, Cultural Affairs Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooqui took the stage. He said, ‘We want to celebrate the wealth we have. Today, we are celebrating one such asset, Sabina Yasmin. Not only will we listen to her songs, but the state will also honor her today.’
Initially, Sabina Yasmin was supposed to be honored by the Ministry of Culture. But later it was decided that she would be honored by the state. When he made this proposal (honor from the state) to the chief advisor last Saturday, he said, ‘I will feel honored.’
The honoring session began. Sabina Yasmin was honored with a uttariya and a crest by Planning Ministry Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud. He said, “The one I am honoring today is our legend, our true pride.” He wished the artist a happy birthday on behalf of the interim government and the chief advisor. Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Md. Mofidur Rahman and Secretary of the Shilpakala Academy Mofidur Rahman were present at the time. In response, he thanked the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Shilpakala Academy and everyone involved for this honor.
The second part of the program consisted of songs and reminiscences. Sabina Yasmin sang 10 popular songs one by one on the day. The songs are ‘Sundar Subarna’, ‘Ami Rajnigandha’, ‘Phul Jod Jhore Giye’, ‘Shat Janamer Swapna’, ‘Ashru Diye Lekha’, ‘Ai Mon Toke Diam’, ‘Ami Achi Thakab’, ‘Isharaay Shis Diye’, ‘Shudhu Gaan Geye Paarito’ and ‘Se Je Ken El Na’. The chatter continued between the songs.
On this day, seven musicians—Khurshid Alam, Rafiqul Alam, Abida Sultana, Naqib Khan, Ferdous Ara, Partha Barua and Agun—reminisced about Sabina Yasmin. Various known and unknown stories emerged from their reminiscences. In between, late actor Bulbul Ahmed’s wife Daisy Ahmed and daughter Aindrila Ahmed greeted Sabina Yasmin with flowers. Apart from this, actress Nutan came to greet the singer. When the clock struck 9:45 pm, Sabina Yasmin performed the last song, ‘Se Je Ken El Na’. However, she was not alone, she was accompanied on stage by Khurshid Alam, Rafiqul Alam, Abida Sultana, Naqib Khan, Ferdous Ara, Partha Barua and Agun. When the program ended around 10 pm, the audience was on their way back with the memories of a memorable evening.
A Sabina Yasmin
Sabina Yasmin was born on September 4, 1954, in a cultural family. At the age of six, she won the first prize in the All Pakistan School Music Competition by singing. In 1962, she formally entered music by singing songs for children to the tune of Rabin Ghosh. In the same year, she sang as a child artist in the film ‘Natun Sur’ directed by Ehtesham. In 1967, she made her playback debut in the film ‘Agun Ni Khela’ directed by Amjad Hossain and Nurul Haque Bachchu. After that, he gradually became an indispensable voice of Bengali music. He has worked with numerous legendary composers including Satya Saha, Alam Khan, Subal Das, Alauddin Ali, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul. This artist has recorded more than 16,000 songs in various genres, including film songs. He has left a melodious signature in all fields – modern songs, folk songs, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Sangeet and ghazals. He is the only artist in Bangladesh who has won the National Film Award 15 times, and has received many honors at home and abroad, including the Ekushey Padak (1984), the Swadhinata Puraskar (1996). In 2020, he gave his last voice in the film ‘Ai Tumi Sei Tumi’ directed by the late Kabori. Not only that, he also worked as a composer for the first time in four songs of the film.
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