It was early ‘70s, a singer with a difference emerged in the music scene, from his tunes to lyrics, hair style and body language, music presentation and use of instrument, everything seemed new to listeners.Never before the audience knew songs with such straightforward lyrics as ‘Alal o dulal’, ‘Orey Saleka, orey Maleka’, or the legendry ‘Rail line-er oi bostite jonme chhilo ekti chhele.’
With his unique style of singing, Azam Khan instantly became an icon of the youth. The singer, who introduced pop music in the country and took the genre forward, is a pioneer of pop music in Bangladesh and often called ‘Pop Samrat’ or ‘Pop Guru’.
He left us physically but his works will always remind us about his legacy and more. 28 Feb marks the 63rd birth anniversary of Pop Samrat Azam Khan.
On the occasion, newly-formed organisation Shilpi Azam Khan Foundation (SAKF) will appear in the cultural arena on 28 February in an attempt to promote, preach and practise the life and works of the iconic singer.
Founder Chairman of SAKF Ema Khan, also daughter of late Azam Khan, said, “We have recently formed the organisation after my father’s name.
It is right now a social-welfare organisation which will commemorate the singer once or twice in a year. But, we have plans to institutionalise an academy in future.”
“Through a daylong programme, we are going to observe the 63rd birth anniversary of Azam Khan. A commemorative procession by the fans of Khan will begin at 9:00am from Motijheel Shapla Chattar. A milad Mahfil will be held at 2:00pm.
The inaugural ceremony of SAKF will be held at 4:00pm at Motijheel Government Community Centre in the city,” she added.
To mark the day, commemorative programmes will be aired by different satellite channels. Besides, musical band Prometheus will also observe the day as ‘Guru Dibash’.
A pioneering pop-rock musician, Azam Khan actively participated in the War of Liberation. During the war, his impassioned singing served as great source of inspiration to his fellow warriors. Throughout his life, he believed that it is the common, ordinary people who will bring a positive change in the country.
After the war, Khan formed his band “Uchcharon” and began composing music that was completely unfamiliar to the Bangladeshi audience at that time. In the decades that followed, those tunes initiated the Bangla pop genre.
