Folk music artist, lyricist and music teacher Kamruddin Absar was bid farewell amid deep mourning and widespread respect as people from all walks of life gathered to pay tribute to his legacy.
On Monday, floral tributes were offered to his body at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka by representatives of political, cultural and social organisations, along with admirers and fellow cultural activists. Various organisations also honoured him with profound respect, reflecting his long-standing contribution to the country’s progressive cultural movement.
Following the tributes, his body was taken to the Central Mosque of the University of Dhaka, where his namaz-e-janaza was held. He was scheduled to be buried at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard after the janaza.
Absar died on Saturday night while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital. He had been suffering from illness for a long time. He leaves behind his wife, poet Ferdousi Begum, his son Adnan Mukit, and a wide circle of admirers.
A dedicated figure in folk music and progressive cultural activism, Absar played an active role in movements supporting the rights of working people. He was long associated with Bangladesh Lekhak Shibir, the Ganashangskriti Front, and the folk music group Srijon.
Beyond composing, arranging and performing folk songs, he also set to tune numerous children’s rhymes and was widely recognised as a performer of songs by Hemanga Biswas. He was also involved in publishing progressive literature alongside his cultural work.
