For a generation that grew up listening to Aurthohin’s music without ever seeing its classic lineup perform together, Friday night offered a rare glimpse into a defining chapter of the band’s history.
At Dhaka’s InterContinental, Saidus Salehin Khaled Sumon, Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal, Shishir Ahmed and Rafa reunited on stage nearly 15 years after they last performed together. The four musicians formed the core lineup behind Aurthohin’s 2008 album ‘Oshomapto 1’, one of the band’s most influential releases.
The reunion took place at a show organised by Dhaka Broadcast to celebrate AvoidRafa’s album ‘Eto Boka Keno Tumi’. What began as a special appearance quickly became a nostalgic journey through Aurthohin’s earlier music, with the musicians performing for more than an hour.
Songs including ‘Oshomapto’, ‘Anmone’ and ‘Odbhut Shei Cheleti’ brought back memories for longtime fans, while younger listeners finally experienced a lineup they had previously known only through recordings and stories.
The audience repeatedly joined Sumon on vocals, turning the reunion into a collective celebration of Aurthohin’s music.
The ‘Oshomapto 1’ lineup emerged after Aurthohin returned in 2008 following a five-year break after the release of ‘Dhrubok’.
The band later released ‘Oshomapto 2’, but Kamal and Rafa eventually left, while Shishir departed in 2023 before returning to the band this year. Kamal is now a member of Warfaze, while Rafa performs with his own band, AvoidRafa.
Rafa, who left Aurthohin in 2015, had long wanted to bring the four musicians together again. After years of pursuing separate musical paths, the reunion finally became a reality.
The event also introduced the classic songs to a younger audience, many of whom had never witnessed the original musicians sharing a stage. For longtime fans, meanwhile, the performance offered a rare return to an era that helped shape Bangladesh’s alternative rock scene.
The night also featured collaborations beyond the reunion. Pritom Hasan joined Rafa for ‘Cholo Arekbar Ure’ while Rafa’s elder brother Sadi Muhtafi performed ‘Ami Akash Pathabo’ with him.
Whether the four musicians will reunite again remains uncertain. For now, their appearance at the InterContinental has given fans something they had waited years to see: the ‘Oshomapto 1’ lineup together once more, playing the songs that made an entire generation sing along.
