Shaheed Altaf Mahmud Memorial Award announced

Shaheed Altaf Mahmud was a musician, cultural activist, language activist and martyred freedom fighter. In 2005, 'Shaheed Altaf Mahmud Foundation' was founded for paying gratitude to this immortal music composer of Bangladesh. In remembrance of him, the foundation has been giving 'Shaheed Altaf Mahmud Award' to the famous peoples from different sections of the society. This year, three noted personalities ---cultural and social activist journalist Kamal Lohani, architect Farid Uddin Ahmed and architect Jami-Al-Shafi have been selected for the prestigious award. Marking the 48th death anniversary of Altaf Mahmud, The award giving ceremony will be held on August 30 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Segunbagicha. Minister of Cultural Affairs KM Khalid MP will hand over the award to the awardees.
Altaf Mahmud was born in Muladi Upazilla under Barisal district on December 23 in 1933. He is the composer of the famous song titled 'Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February'. This is the first song which was made to pay tribute to the martyrs of Language Movement of 1952. Abdul Latif was the primary composer of the song. But later on Altaf Mahmud made some modifications and gave a new flavour to the song.
Throughout his life he had worked in total 19 films. Some of the famous films among them are- 'Jibon Theke Newa', 'Kaise Kahoon', 'Kar Bou', 'Tanha', 'Behula', 'Agun Niye Khela', 'Dui Bhai', 'Shongshar', 'Akabaka', 'Nayantara', 'Shapath Nilam' and more.
Apart from these art and cultural activities he was active in the field of liberation war during 1971. He was a guerilla in the liberation war. He also harboured freedom fighters in his house. After revelation of this news, he was captured by Pakistani Army along with hidden freedom fighters on August 30 in 1971. Then he was tortured and forced to death. After getting independence, he was awarded with prestigious Ekushey Padak in 1977 for his immense contribution to language movement and liberation war. In 2004, He was also honoured with Swadhinata Padak (posthumously) for his great contribution to cultural affairs.
So far the artistes who have received 'Shaheed Altaf Mahmud Memorial Award' are- photographer Baby Islam (2005), cultural activist Dr. Enamul Haque (2006), singer Sabina Yasmin (2007), singer Ajit Roy and music director Khandaker Nurul Alam (2008), singer Sudhin Das (2009), singer of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra Bipul Bhattacharya (2010), music director Alam Khan (2011), Prof. Rafiqul Islam and prominent actor Razzak (2012), artist Mustafa Monwar and music director Md. Shah Newaz (2013), artist Qayyum Chowdhury and music director Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul (2014), music director Alauddin Ali and  litterateurs Hasan Azizul Haque (2015), Professor Serajul Islam Chowdhury (2016), actor Ali Zaker and art-critic Mofidul Haq (2017), Syed Hasan Imam and Ferdousi Majumdar (2018).