Happy Birthday Sabina Yasmin

Today is the birthday of celebrated singer Sabina Yasmin. She is one of the notable playback singers in Bengali movies. She has won 12 National Film Awards as Best Female Playback Singer in Bangladesh. She has recorded more than 1,500 songs for films and over 10,000 songs in total.

Sabina Yasmin was born on 4 September, 1954. She has sung for films, radio, television and gramophone companies. She has been active in the Bangladeshi music industry since the 1970s. 

When Yasmin entered the film industry, her co-eval Shahnaz Rahmatullah was the number one singer. In 1970, the film Jibon Theke Neya was released. It contained the song ‘Eki Sonar Aloy’ which elevated Yasmin as the leading singer.

In 1971 Bangladesh was involved in a battle for independence against Pakistan. At this crisis, Yasmin sang some patriotic songs ‘Sob Kota Janala’, ‘Swajan Harano Diner Samarane’, ‘Sei Railliner Dhare’, ‘Swadhinata Tumi’ etc.

She came to the limelight with the song ‘Sudhu Gaan Geye Porichoy’ in 1972 film ‘Abujh Mon’. She sang ‘Tumi Je Amar Kobita’, ‘Tumi Achho’ etc. duets with Mahmudunnabi.

Yasmin received the first Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1975 for her songs in ‘Sujon Sokhi’.

Yasmin received three consecutive National film awards: in 1978 for Golapi Ekhon Train E, in 1979 for Sundari and in 1980 for Kosai.

Composer Alauddin Ali was instrumental in making her the number one singer. He composed songs for her in Sundari, Kosai, Apanjan, Golapi Ekhon Train E, Noyonmoni, Basundhara and many more. She sang ‘Osru Diye Lekha’, ‘O Amar Rosiya’, ‘Ei Mon Tomake Dilam, ‘Ei Prithibir Pore’ etc. songs in the 1970s.

Veterans such as Ferdausi Rahman, Shahnaz Rahmatullah left playback singing. She sang numerous timeless hits for Yasmin including ‘Koto Sadhonay Emon Bhagyo Mele’, ‘Shoto Jonomer Sadh’, ‘E Jibone Tumi Ogo Ele’ and many more. Her rising popularity dragged her to Indian cinema. In 1985, she sang ‘Cherona Cherona G Haat’ and ‘Jalpari’ with Kishore Kumar in the Indo-Bangladesh joint production Anyay Abichar which had music by R. D. Burman.

Yasmin earned National Awards in 1991 for Danga and 1992 for Radha Krishna. Yasmin’s best mentor was Alauddin Ali. He gave her one to another hit tracks in the 1970s and 1980s. She earned three consecutive National Film Awards in 1978-80 for Golapi Ekhon Train E, Sundari and Kosai respectively.