Final wish fulfilled: Farida Parveen laid to rest beside her parents in Kushtia

Illustrious Lalon singer Farida Parveen has been laid to rest beside her parents' graves in Kushtia, as per her final wishes.

Farida, 71, passed away on Saturday at Universal Medical College Hospital in Dhaka.

After her second Janaza, or funeral prayer, which took place at the Kushtia Municipal Cemetery, Farida was buried around 9:00pm.

Her body had arrived at the cemetery in a refrigerated van at 8:30pm, after a slight delay, which pushed the funeral timing to after the Isha prayer.

Her family members, cultural personalities, music artists, well-wishers, and others were present to bid her farewell.

The singer, whose childhood was spent in Kushtia due to her father's work, had deep ties with the town. Many of her memories, both personal and musical, were associated with Kushtia, where she had found solace in her later years and often enjoyed moments of comfort.

Earlier in the day, her body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, where citizens from different walks of life paid their respects to the iconic singer.

Her first Janaza was held at the Dhaka University Central Mosque following the Zuhr prayer, before her body was transported to Kushtia for burial.

Born on Dec 31, 1954 in Singra, Natore, Farida spent much of her formative years in Kushtia, which became a place synonymous with her musical journey. Her legacy is inseparably tied to Lalon Sain’s songs, with the city playing a crucial role in shaping her as an artist.

In recent years, Farida had been battling kidney complications and diabetes, requiring dialysis twice a week. Despite multiple hospitalisations, her health deteriorated, and she was put on life support at the hospital before breathing her last.

Farida Parveen began her professional music career at the age of just 14, in 1968, and over the following 55 years, she became widely known as Lalon's “daughter”.

Her iconic songs, such as “Milon Hobe Koto Dine” and “Achin Pakhi”, became deeply ingrained in Bengali culture and consciousness.

For her extraordinary contributions to music, she was honoured with the Ekushey Padak in 1978 and the Kufuwa Asian Cultural Award from Japan.

She also played a vital role in teaching future generations of musicians, particularly through the Achin Pakhi School, which she founded to preserve and pass on Lalon's legacy.

Farida Parveen is survived by her husband and four children, and her death marks the end of an era in Bengali folk music.