Famous lyricist, composer Abdul Gafur Hali no more

The veteran artiste breathed his last at the age of 88 in a private hospital in Chittagong city on Wednesday. His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Maizbhandar Darbar Sharif premises at Fatikchari in Chittagong after Johr prayer on Thursday. The second namaz-e-janaza will be held after Magrib prayer at the city’s Jamiatul Falah Mosque. Later, the artiste will be buried at his family graveyard in Rashidabad of Patiya upazila after his third and last namaz-e-janaza following the jumma prayer on Friday. The maestro left behind two sons and two daughters and many relatives, admirers, disciples and well-wishers to mourn his demise. Journalist Nasir Haider said that the great maestro composed hundreds of Bangla folk, mystical and local songs for over six decades in his life. “Hali successfully blended the local language of Chittagong in composing his songs. He was the first folk play author to use the local language of Chittagong region. Of the plays, ‘Gulbahar’, ‘Nilmoni’ and ‘Ashek Bondhu’ are remarkable,” said journalist Haider. Born on August 6, 1929, the great artiste who is also known as Gafur Hali Maizbhandari was inspired by another legendary folk song composer Askar Ali Pandit. Later Hali was inspired by the mystical Maizbhadhari singers such as Moulana Bazlul Karim Kanchanpuri, Moulana Abdul Hadi and Ramesh Shil. Hali composed more than 2,000 songs including folk and mystical ones. Some of his popular songs are Shona Bondhu Tui Amare Korli Re Dewana, O Shyam Rengun Noo Jaio, Banu Re! O Banu! Ai Jaiumgui Chatga Shohrot Tuarlai Ainnum Ki, Oi Lal Kurta Wala, Roshik Tel Kajla Kon Panjabiwala and many more. Hali won many national and institutional awards for his outstanding works including Rahe Bhandar Ennoble Award, Chittagong Association Award, Bangladesh Musical Organisation Association Award, Sukhendu Memorial Theatre Award and District Cultural Academy Award. Professor Hans Harder of Heidelberg University in Germany published a treatise in 2004 which includes 76 songs of Gafur Hali. Prof Hans Harder in his book wrote about the great maestro, “In spite of having no higher degree or designation of any university, Abdul Gafur Hali with his own effort was able to have an extraordinary knowledge.” Different socio-cultural and professional organisations expressed deep shock at the demise of the celebrated artiste including Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ), Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist (BFUJ) and Abdul Gafur Hali Academy.