‘Baul Samrat’ Shah Abdul Karim no more

Known nationwide as 'Baul Samrat,' mystic bard Shah Abdul Karim died of age related ailments at a Sylhet hospital yesterday morning. He was 93.

Nurjahan General Hospital authorities confirmed that Karim breathed his last at 7:58am.

The coffin of the 'Baul Samrat' was taken to the Sylhet Shaheed Minar at 1:00pm yesterday. People from all walks of life paid homage to the bard.

The legendary poet-lyricist was kept on life-support at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital after his condition deteriorated on Friday. Karim was taken to the hospital from his village home in Ujandhol, under Derai upazila of Sunamganj district on September 3.

Abdul Karim was born nearly hundred years ago. Karim never had a chance to attend school. But the gifted rhymester learnt from and was inspired by his surroundings, the people and nature and in time turned into a living legend.

The river Kalni, which flows very near to Karim's home, was a muse to the bard. Many of his songs articulate the riverine lifestyle. His songs metaphorically speak of the unsolved riddle of creation.

Some of his popular numbers are, "Agey ki shundor din kataitam," "Kon mestori nau banaisey," "Bashonto batashey," "Ami tomar koler gari," "Bondhey maya lagaisey," "Tomra kunjo shajao go" and "Gari choley na".

Karim's songs were published in six books: "Aftab Sangeet," "Gano Sangeet," "Kalnir Dheu," "Dholmela," "Bhatir Chithi" and "Kalnir Kooley." Bangla Academy translated ten of his songs into English.

The life and works of Karim have been featured in Shakur Majid's documentary "Bhatir Purush". Journalist Faruk Mehedy also made a documentary on the legend, titled "Shikor".

The late Ruhi Thakur and Ranesh Thakur are widely known as Karim's direct disciples. Karim's only son, Shah Nur Jalal, is also a folk singer.

The band Dolchhut and singer-composer Habib Wahid have widely popularised Karim's songs among the young urban music enthusiasts.

Habib, who is currently in London, couldn't be contacted. His father, renowned singer Ferdaus Wahid, said, "With the demise of Shah Abul Karim, we have lost a legend who could be considered a pillar of Bangla folk music. The divine bond between the creator and his creation has been defined in an uncomplicated, yet profound way in his compositions."

"Habib is what he is today, thanks to Shah Abdul Karim's incomparable songs," Ferdaus Wahid added.

It was in 2003, when Habib, a student of London University, came across the Shah Abdul Karim song, "Bondhey maya lagaisey". The song had an indelible impact on the young musician. For the next one and half years, Habib researched on Shah Abdul Karim's music. The result was Habib's debut album "Krishno".

Seasoned folk artiste Kiran Chandra Roy said, "If the contemporary Bangla folk music is compared to the solar system, Shah Abdul Karim was definitely at the centre. We have lost one of the greatest artistes and our folk music has lost a true 'son of the soil'.”

"We had performed together at several programmes. In 1997/'98, he asked me to tune one of his songs 'Pran kandey mon kandey'. It was a great honour for me," reminisced Roy.

Karim was awarded the 'Ekushey Padak' in 2001. In 2005, he received the 'Meril-Prothom Alo' Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 'Baul Samrat' will be buried next to his wife Sarala in his yard today.

Saifur Rahman dies in tragic car crash

Former finance minister M Saifur Rahman died in a road accident on Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Ashuganj yesterday.

A founding member of BNP, he was returning to the capital from his ancestral home in Moulvibazar when his sport-utility vehicle veered off the road and fell into a ditch at Khairala at 2:30pm.

Locals said the driver lost control trying to avoid running over a stray cow. Rapid Action Battalion personnel rushed Saifur, 77, to the Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital. But doctors there declared him dead.

Dr Tofael Ahmed of the hospital said the BNP leader had already died from being under water for too long.

Saifur's Personal Secretary AGM Shamsul Haque and aides Sajib and Sharif were also aboard the four-wheel drive.

They and the driver survived the fall but sustained injuries, and were admitted to the Sadar hospital.

A patrol team of Rab-9 reached the scene shortly after the accident. They had to pull Saifur and his companions from the wreckage five feet under water.

"He [Saifur] had his seat belt buckled tightly. It took 10-12 minutes to get him out of the water by breaking the door and cutting him free," local Awami League lawmaker Lutful Hai Sachchu told reporters at the hospital.

Saifur went to Sylhet Friday evening. There he visited the shrines of Hazrat Shah Jalal(R) and Shah Paran(R) and met the local BNP leaders and workers. In the evening, he left for Moulvibazar.

In reaction to the sudden death of its doyen, BNP has postponed all its programmes including a parliamentary party meeting that was to decide whether to join the upcoming session of the House. Besides, it has announced three days of mourning.

Apart from leaders and workers of BNP and front organisations, people from all walks of life thronged Saifur's Gulshan residence to pay respects to the man much revered for his ability to fix economy.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, among others, visited the bereaved family in the evening.

As Khaleda stepped inside the house at around 8:45pm, Saifur's family gathered around her, leading to scenes of intense emotion.

The others who went there to offer their condolences include Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Tofail Ahmed, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku and Major Gen (retd) Subid Ali Bhuiyan of AL, Industries Minister and Samyabadi Dal President Dilip Barua, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Andaleev Rahman and FBCCI President Annisul Haq.

In Brahmanbaria, thousands of people including local top brass of different political parties massed at the hospital on hearing the news.

Saifur's body lay in state at local Mukto Mancha for some time. It was brought to the capital at 8:00pm.

Moulvibazar sources says: On request for one more day's stay, Saifur told his relatives he was sick and must be in Dhaka by the evening. He sought doa from all before leaving the house.

Earlier, he offered prayers at the grave of his wife Durre Samad Rahman, who died in 2006 after suffering long from cancer.

As he was not feeling well, he did not fast yesterday. He had fried egg and bread for breakfast, said Minu, Saifur's sister-in-law.

Funeral

The third namaj-e-janaza of former finance minister M Saifur Rahman was held at south plaza of parliament after Zohr prayers.

Earlier, his first namaj-e-janaza was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque at about 11:00am while the second was held in front of BNP central office at Naya Paltan at about 12:30pm.

Hundreds of people, including BNP leaders and workers, attended the janazas.

His fourth and fifth janazas are scheduled to be held at Shahi Eidgah Maidan in Sylhet at 1:00pm tomorrow and at Moulvibazar Government High School ground before burial.

Saifur will be buried tomorrow at Baharmardan after the janazas.

Condolence

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today expressed his deep shock at the death of former finance minister M Saifur Rahman. In a condolence message to Naser Rahman, elder son of the late leader, Dr Manhoman Singh said that he has lost one of his old and true friends at the death of Saifur Rahman.

“Bangladesh has lost a true and a patriotic leader and the region has lost an able leader,” the message said.