An Ode to Shafin Ahmed

Golden was the time of the 90s, very much due to the presence of Shafin Ahmed in Bangladeshi band music. Those of us born at the end of the 90s and afterwards barely got to experience the musical prowess of the two inseparable names Shafin Ahmed and Miles.

Gone are the antique jukebox and cassettes when Feroza Begum's Nazrul songs enchanted our grandparents. Later came the time of Shafin Ahmed, his shoulder-length hair, classic sense of style, and the iconic era of Miles.

There was no playlist without Miles in the 90s. The band was iconic, part of the frenzy, as was its lead Shafin Ahmed. People born in the 70s still vividly live in the era of Miles.

Shafin Ahmed was born when the internet was far from being a cloud-based real-time data storage capable of automatically saving a write-up about him from a computer.

His birthtime was still the era of jukeboxes and cassettes. He had experienced the birth of Bangladesh as a ten-year-old child. However, he has remained relevant as an artist since his peak in the golden days of the '90s.

Eventually, like his mother, Firoza Begum's namesake, he grew up to be a gem artist and had a memorable, euphoric career journey as the lead singer of Miles.

Miles released Prottasha in 1993, and the album continued winning the hearts of listeners of Bangla music worldwide; even now, one will find them as good as before.

The fourth studio production by the band while Shafin was the leading songwriter, vocalist and bass player, the release was top-notch and a delicate note of melody.

Shafin's presence on the stage was a breath of fresh air; he had a distinctive and attractive sense of style, an appealing execution of music, and a talent for playing musical instruments impeccably.

His musical background is likely related to his mother's since the latter was the most prominent songstress of her time.

Phiriye Dao Amar E Prem (Return my love to me) would make sense like no other song in the time of loss of a lover, and Neela Tumi Ki Jano Na (Neela, Do You Not Know?) will be the perfect partner for two lovers on a date.

Shopno Bhongo will remind you of an emotional roller coaster ride but strike you so invigoratingly through its musical notes as you embark on a failure.

Shafin's efforts to maintain the shift of musical taste in the 90s and give in to modern rock and roll conveyance made him and his band successful.

Looking back at his iconic musical career, we find our all-time favourites. In the '90s and the early 2000s, Aaj Jonmodin Tomar had to be on the playlist at birthday parties. The song's delivery is refreshing, energetic, and unique.

He came from a family with an eminent musical career record; his father was an illustrious musical director, and his mother was a distinguished songstress of Nazrul Geeti.

His songs are joyous, revitalising, and true-standing with time, the taste of music as they were before and will be in future. The artist had his fair share of ups and downs with his band members, as other artists do from time to time.

Shafin, sadly, could not give us an iconic musical creation in the Coke Studio Bangla productions before leaving the world. Miles sounds like an incomplete musical entity without Shafin Ahmed. 

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