Homage paid to Lucky Akhand
People from all walks of life paid their last respects to celebrated singer-composer Lucky Akhand at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Saturday.
The 61-year-old veteran freedom fighter died of cancer at his Armanitola residence on Friday evening.
His body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar after holding his first namaz-e-janaza on the playground in front of Aramanitola Jame Mosque around 10 in the morning.
He was given the Guard of Honour on the Shaheed Minar premises around 11am today. The body was kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11am to 12noon to facilitate the cross section of people paying their respect to the legendary singer.
He will be buried at Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard in the afternoon after his second namaz-e-janaza in the compound of Dhaka University Central Mosque.
In 2015, Lucky Akhand was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was later treated in Thailand. He received financial help from the prime minister`s fund.
Born on June 18, 1956, Akhand got music lessons at the age of five from his father. He performed in music programs for children on television and radio during 1963-1967. He was enlisted as a music composer of HMV Pakistan when he was 14 and a musician of HMV India at 16.
In 1971, he joined Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. He also served as the director (music) of Bangladesh Betar.
Akhand started his career with self-titled solo album Lucky Akhand in 1984 under the banner of Sargam. In the 1980s, Akhand was a rage when he came up as a singer, lyricist, composer and music director.
He composed notable songs including "Amaye Deko Na, Ei Neel Monihar and Abar Elo Jey Shondhya" while the veteran singer was associated with the musical band "Happy Touch".
Akhand won the first prize in "Modern Bangla Songs" category in 1969 from the Pakistan Art Council. "Abar Elo Je Sondha" was used in Bangla film named Ghuddi in 1988.
His composed songs for the album of his brother in which "Abar Elo Je Sondha" and "Ke Bashi Bajaire" sung by Akhand, "Shadinota Tomake Niye", "Pahari Jhorna", sung by Happy Akhand and himself and "Nil Nil Shari Pore" and "Hothat Kore Bangladesh" sung by himself were notable songs.
Akhand stopped his career after the death of his younger brother, Happy Akhand in 1987.
He returned after a decade with two albums named Porichoy Kobe Hobe and Bitrishna Jibone Amar in 1998.
He used contemporary rhythm, folk fusion and preferred Spanish fusion in his songs.
Source: BSS
