Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul’s demise will create a permanent void in Bangladesh's music industry. His contributions to the industry are immeasurable both as a lyricist and composer.
Bulbul paved the way for many popular singers who later have shaped our music industry. In his long music career, Bulbul gave Bangladesh many evergreen songs, and box office hit numbers.
Born in Dhaka on January 1 of 1956, Bulbul joined Bangladesh’s War of Independence at the age of 15. He was a student of West End High School in Dhaka’s Azimpur at the time.
He also had testified as a witness for the prosecution at the International Crimes Tribunal against former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam in October 2012.
Music Career
As a teenager Bulbul emerged in the music industry back in the 1960s. At that time he played guitar at Hotel Sheraton which was his source of income.
Later, he formed a band named “Aftermath.” He also played guitar for film songs. In the '70s, he emerged as a music composer of patriotic songs for BTV.
Some of these songs include “Shob kota janala,” “Shundar shubarno tarunyo labonyo,” “Uttar dakkhin purbo poshchim,” “O amar aat koti phul,” “O majhi nao chhaira de,” and so on.
For eight years BTV used his composition sung by Sabina Yasmin, “Shob kota janala” before the national news during the 1980s.
In 1978 with the film “Megh Bijli Badal” he launched his career as a film music director. His composed a playback song from the film titled, “Nayaner Alo” which became so popular that it brought him to the limelight. Samina Chowdhury and Andrew Kishore also became popular artistes through the song.
Bulbul composed songs for 350 movies. And he was also the lyricist of most of these songs. His unique compositions include timeless songs like “Amar buker moddhey khaney,” “Amar shara deho kheyo go mati,” “Porey na chokher polok,” “Tomaye dekhle mone hoy,” “Ammajan,” “E jogote tumi ami ekjon,” “Nodi chay choltey” and many more evergreen film songs.
Besides his work for cinema, the seasoned composer wrote lyrics and composed music for contemporary popular singers like Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila, Syed Abdul Hadi, Andrew Kishore, Samina Chowdhury, Khalid Hassan Milu, Agun, Kanak Chapa and many more.
Awards
For Bulbul’s outstanding contribution to the country’s music culture, he received many awards and acclamations in the four decades of music career. He was a recipient of the prestigious “Ekushey Padak” in 2010. He was also awarded the National Award for Best Music Director, first in 2001 for his work in “Premer Tajmohol,” and a second time in 2005 for “Hazar Bochor Dhore.”
Bulbul was an 11-time winner of the “Bachsas” award.
