Those we lost in 2024

Veteran journalist Sayed Kamaluddin, editor of the weekly Holiday, passed away at a city hospital on March 5. He was 85.

Kamaluddin joined Holiday in 2005. He also served as the former press minister of Bangladesh in Washington, DC.

He began his career with the Daily Azad in 1961. Till the closure of the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review in 2004, he worked there as a Dhaka correspondent.

After returning from Washington in 2004, he wrote for some local and international newspapers.

Renowned Rabindra Sangeet singer Sadi Mohammad passed away on March 13. Known for his deep devotion to music, Sadi was a respected teacher and composer. He studied Rabindra Sangeet at Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, and received numerous awards, including Channel i's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the Rabindra Puraskar from the Bangla Academy in 2015.

Sadi Mohammad was the son of Liberation War martyr

Salimullah and Jebunnesa Salimullah.

Former President and veteran politician Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury passed away at a hospital in the capital early on October 5.

B Chowdhury, who was admitted to Uttara Women’s Medical College Hospital with lung infection, breathed his last there.

Professor Badruddoza Chowdhury was elected President of Bangladesh on November 14, 2001. He resigned from the presidency on June 21, 2002.

On May 8, 2004, B Chowdhury founded a political party named Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh.

Music director Shujeo Shyam, a key figure of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, died on October 17. He was honoured with the Ekushey Padak in 2018 and the Shilpakala Padak in 2015 for his contributions to music.

The 78-year-old musician was battling cancer, diabetes, and kidney issues.

Born on March 14, 1946, in Sylhet, Shujeo Shyam spent his early years in the tea gardens of Sylhet. He was the sixth of ten siblings.

He composed the final song for Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in 1971.

Celebrated lyricist, composer, and musician, Abu Zafar, passed away on December 5. Among his notable works is the song "Ei Padma Ei Meghna," which ranked in BBC's top 20 Bangla songs of all time.

Beyond his contributions to music, Abu Zafar served as a professor of Bengali at Chuadanga College and Kushtia Govt College.

Among his other notable works are iconic songs such as "Tomra Bhulei Gecho Mallikadir Naam," "Nindar Kata Jodi Na Bidhilo Gaye," "Ami Helen Kingba Momtajke Dekhini," and "Tumi Raat Ami Raatjaga Pakhi."

Papia Sarwar, one of country's most renowned and prolific Rabindra Sangeet artistes, passed away at a private hospital in the capital on December 12. She was 72.

The Ekushey Padak-winning revered singer had been battling with cancer for three years.

She is survived by her husband and two daughters- Zaara Sarwar and Jisha Sarwar.

Born on November 21 into a musically inclined family in Barishal, Papia Sarwar pursued Rabindra Sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in 1973.

Civil Aviation and Tourism and Land Adviser AF Hassan Ariff died of a cardiac arrest on December 20. He was 85.

Ariff collapsed while having lunch at home.

Hassan Ariff, who also served as an attorney general, was laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard in Mirpur.

Ariff was appointed as an adviser to the interim government on August 8.

Ariff had a distinguished legal career spanning over five decades. He began his practice at the Calcutta High Court in 1967.