The enduring influence of legendary Lalon singer Farida Parveen will be in focus today as the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy hosts a special programme marking her birth anniversary.
Rather than a conventional tribute, the event highlights the philosophy that shaped Farida Parveen’s life and work. Organised by Achin Pakhi Sangeet Academy, the institution she founded to nurture future practitioners of Lalon music, the programme reflects her long-held belief that an artist truly lives on through students and disciples.
The programme begins at 4:00 pm at the Chitrashala Auditorium of the Shilpakala Academy and will combine discussions with cultural performances. Speakers and performers will explore different stages of Farida Parveen’s artistic journey, examining her role in preserving and popularising Lalon songs and her wider contribution to Bangladesh’s folk heritage.
Farida Akhter, adviser for fisheries and livestock, will attend as chief guest. The list of special guests includes Mahbuba Farzana, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Rezauddin Stalin, director general of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The event will be inaugurated by Dr Mohammad Abdul Majid, chairman of the Social Development Foundation, while flautist Gazi Abdul Hakim, Farida Parveen’s husband, will preside over the programme.
Born on December 31, 1954, in Natore, Farida Parveen showed an early inclination towards music, beginning her training at the age of five in Magura under Kamal Chakrabarty. She launched her professional career at just 14. Over the years, she performed a broad repertoire that included Nazrul songs and patriotic compositions, but it was her interpretation of Lalon songs that defined her artistic identity and earned her widespread acclaim.
Her contribution to music has been recognised with numerous national and international honours, including the Ekushey Padak in 1987, the National Film Award in 1993 and Japan’s prestigious Fukuoka Prize in 2008.
