The Nazrul Sangeet legend Firoza Begum was laid to rest at Banani Graveyard after Asr prayer on Wednesday.
Hundreds of fans and admirers thronged Central Shaheed Minar to pay their last tributes to the legend when her body was brought to the Shaheed Minar by an ambulance at 1:29pm.
Her two sons, members of popular rock band Miles, Hamin Ahmed and Shafin Ahmed along with family members were standing by her body. Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor paid his tributes on behalf of the government as well as the Prime Minister. Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Awami League Joint-General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Samyabadi Dal President Dilip Barua and Dhaka University Alumni Association President Raquibuddin Ahmed also paid their homage to the legendary singer.
Around 3:45pm, the ambulance carrying the body started for Gulshan Azad Mosque where her Namaj-e-Janaza was held. Earlier in the morning, the body of Firoza Begum was taken to her Indira Road residence at Farmgate from the mortuary of the Apollo Hospitals. Firoza Begum, an Independence Day Award recipient, breathed her last there around 8:30pm on Thursday. She was admitted to the hospital on Friday with various complications, including heart and kidney problems.
Her song was first recorded in 1942. She stayed in Kolkata from 1954 until she moved to Dhaka in 1967.
At a time when Nazrul Sangeet was in a state of decline in this part of the world, it was Firoza Begum who revived its glory and infused new life into Nazrul Sangeet.
She emerged as the most legendary Nazrul Sangeet singer in the subcontinent through her unique presentation.
In recognition of her contribution, Feroza Begum was honoured with the ‘Independence Day Award’ in 1979 and the ‘Sheltech Award’ in 2000. In 1956, Firoza married Kamal Dasgupta, who had been a composer for at least a third of the national poet’s songs. Firoza left behind her three sons Tahsin, Hamin and Shafin.
