Country's acclaimed Gono Sangeet singer Fakir Ahmed has turned 70 today. He was born in February 21, 1950. After the Liberation War, he emerged as a Gono Sangeet singer.
Fakir Alamgir is one of the paramount figures of Gono Sangeet. He started his music career in 1966. Fakir Alamgir has blended traditional folk music with western instruments. He has released several popular albums with foot-tapping numbers like 'O Sakhina', 'Shantahar' etc. Although Fakir Alamgir did not receive formal musical training, he joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and rendered inspiring songs along with Abdul Jabbar, Kaderi Kibria, Apel Mahmud, Altaf Mahmud and others. In 1976, Fakir Alamgir founded the Gono Sangeet group 'Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi'.
Fakir Alamgir's landmark songs include the Sokhina series that depicts the struggle between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' through a romantic relationship between the singer and a village girl. Alamgir's rendition, 'Daam diye kinechhi Bangla' is an epic track that stirs nostalgic patriotism. Some of his other notable songs are 'O Sokhina', 'Shantahar', 'Nelson Mandela', 'Naam Tar Chhilo John Henry' and 'Banglar Comrade Bondhu'. He received Ekushey Padak in 1999.
Alamgir is also a writer. He published his first book 'Chena China' in 1984. His next two publications were 'Muktijuddher Smriti Bijoyer Gaan' and 'Gono Sangeeter Otit O Bortoman'. In 2013, he published 3 new books - 'Amar Kotha', 'Jara Achhen Hridoy Potey' and 'Smriti Alaponey Muktijuddho'. So far, he has authored nine books.
