Profile - Fakir Alamgir

Fakir Alamgir

General Information

Folk and Pop Singer

Singer

Full Name: Fakir Alamgir

Date of Birth: February 21, 1950

Date of Death: July 23, 2021

Place of Birth: Bangladesh

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Profile:

Fakir Alamgir (21 February 1950 – 23 July 2021) was a Bangladeshi folk and pop singer. After the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, he emerged as a Gono Sangeet (inspiration songs for the masses) singer. Some of his notable songs are "O Sokhina", "Shantahar", "Nelson Mandela", "Naam Tar Chhilo John Henry" and "Banglar Comrade Bondhu". He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1999 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Alamgir was born in Kalamridha village of Bhanga police station in Faridpur district on the memorable day of the language movement. Father Md. Hachen Uddin Fakir, mother Begum Habibunnesa. He passed the secondary examination from Shilpi Kalamridha Govinda High School in 1966 and was admitted to the country's traditional Jagannath College. He graduated from there and obtained his MA degree in Journalism from University of Dhaka.

Alamgir has been practicing music since the sixties. He had a reputation as a flutist as well as a singer. He has tried to inspire people in all historical movements of Bangladesh with his songs. He was an active member of the Chhatra Union in 1966. In continuation of this, he played a important role as a member of Kranti Shilpi Gosthi and Gana Shilpi Gosthi by performing mass music in various movements and struggles in the sixties and mass uprisings of the seventies. With his songs, he joined the mass uprising, the liberation war of 1971 and the mass movement against the military rule of the nineties.

Alamgir and some of his contemporaries started the first Bengali pop song by combining western melody with native music to express the pain accumulated from the experience of war. He also has a special contribution in the development of Bengali pop songs.

In his long career, Alamgir's songs like 'Santahar Junction Dekha', 'Banamali Tumi', 'Kalo Kalo Manusher Deshe', 'Maayer Ekdhar Dudher Dham', 'Aha Re Kallu Matabbar', 'O Julekha' became very popular. The song 'O Sakhina' is still in the mouths of people. After the song was aired on BTV's 'Anandamela' program in 1982, the audience responded. Besides giving voice, Alamgir also composed the melody of the song. He is the founder of the cultural organization Rishi Shilpi Gosthi. Besides, he has been the President of Bangladesh Gana Sangeet Samonvay Parishad, Vice President of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, Member of Jansangik Samiti and has served in several important cultural organizations.

Alamgir, a graduate of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University, writes songs as well as writes regularly. He has published several books including 'Memories of Liberation War and Song of Victory', 'Past and Present of Mass Music', 'My Words', 'Those Who Are in the Heart'.

So far Alamgir has received state 'Ekushey Padak', 'Sher-e-Bangla Padak', 'Bhasani Padak', 'Sequence Award of Honor', 'Tarkbagish Gold Padak', 'Jasimuddin Gold Padak', 'Kantakabi Padak', 'Gana' for his special contribution in the field of music. , 'Mahasammanna by the Government of West Bengal', 'Tripura Culture Coordination Award', 'Dhaliwood Award United States', 'Jansangyak Samiti Special Honor', 'Channel I Music Award Special Sammanna' and 'Bangla Academy Honorary Fellowship'.

On 14 July 2021, Alamgir was admitted to United Hospital in Dhaka with COVID-19 related complications. He suffered a heart attack on 23 July while in ventilation at the COVID-19 unit. He died later on the same day.