Sheikh Arif Bulbon :
Ustad Karim Shahabuddin
started his journey in the field of music professionally in 1984 by
presenting and teaching Nazrul songs and Kheyal on Khulna Betar. In 2002, he was honoured Sangeetacharya by the Chief Justice at a conference on classical music held at Jayjayanti Jalsaghor at Howrah in Kolkata. Karim Shahabuddin also said that in 2020, late Azad Rahman honoured him Ustad on behalf of Nazrul Academy. In India, his rendered Nazrul song titled Jharo Jharo Jhare Shaon Dhara and Modir Ankhir Sudhay Saki are included as a part of the study at Honours and masters levels respectively in the course of Nazrul Sangeet in Music. It is a proud for any Bangladeshi not only as a
classical but also a Nazrul singer.
In 1982, Karim Shahabuddin was the champion in the West Bengal Kheyal Competition (Lalitha Raga). He secured third place in classical music at Bongiyo Sangeet Parishad and passed in the first class with
letter marks in Nazrul Sangeet. To develop his skills in music perfectly, he received lessons in
classical music from Pandit Arun Bhaduri, Ustad Daud and Maskoor Ali Khan. He got training in Nazrul song from Manabendra Mukherjee. He taught classical and Nazrul songs to many students at Bulbul Lalitakala Academy from 1987 to 2007. Many noted singers to present generation’s singers received training from him in Nazrul songs and classical music. Since 1995 he
has been working as instructor at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. All the teachers who are working at Shilpakala Academy in 64 districts of the country received training from him. In Christian religion, many songs were written and also composed by him. Noted singer late Subir Nandi rendered these songs under his music composition. These songs complied in an album titled Nobojatoker Kanna. On March 13 in 1987, Karim Shahabuddin first lent his voice
in play-back song for Taher Chowdhury directed and Anju-Wasim-acted movie Protibad. Hailed from Meherpur, Karim Shahabuddin’s father Md Tofel Uddin was a Moromi (mystic) singer. Her daughter Shorolipi is
a singer of present generation. His elder daughter Sangeeta is
a setar player while younger daughter Sonchari is a tabla
player. His son Bishal is a
guitarist who is studying BBA now. While talking about his
own career in music Karim Shahabuddin told this correspondent, “I feel proud to establish myself as a full-fledged professional musician. I did big work
for my life with music because a song can create a scope to alive for the singer forever that is not possible to other works.”
