Eminent Rabindra sangeet singer Papia Sarwar, 72, passed away at a hospital in the capital on Thursday.
She breathed her last at about 8:00am, her widower Sarwar Alam told media, adding that her namaz-e-janaza would be held after the Juma prayers today, and later she would be buried at Banani graveyard.
She is survived by her widower and two daughters.
The Ekushey Padak-winning singer had been battling with cancer for three years.
Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi in a statement, signed by its president Badiur Rahman and general secretary Amit Ranjan Dey, expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Papia Sarwar.
Born on November 21, 1952 in Barisal, Papia Sarwar pursued Rabindra sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in 1973 through a scholarship offered by the government of India. She was the first recipient of this scholarship after the country鈥檚 independence.
She had received her initial music training from renowned mentors, including Atiqul Islam, Waheedul Haq, Sanjida Khatun, and Zahidur Rahim at Chhayanaut.
Throughout her illustrious career, she earned widespread admiration and numerous accolades for her expertise in Rabindra sangeet.
In 1996, she established a music group named Geetsudha to share her knowledge with aspiring learners.
Her modern song, Nai Telephone Nai Re Peon, gained immense popularity among music lovers.
For her contributions to the country鈥檚 music scene, she was honoured with the Rabindra Award from Bangla Academy in 2013, and the Ekushey Padak in 2021.
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Papia Sarwar
