The Passing of Shahidjaya Sara Mahmud

Staff Reporter

In the month of language, Sara Ara Mahmud, the wife of legendary musician and freedom fighter Shahid Altaf Mahmud, who composed the iconic song “Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February,” has passed away. She was 78 years old.

Her daughter, Shaon Mahmud, shared the news in a Facebook post today. Sara Mahmud breathed her last at her residence in Eskaton at 6:25 PM, in the presence of her only daughter.

Her son-in-law, Said Hasan Tipu, a member of the band Obscure, said, “A few days ago, she underwent surgery for a fractured hip joint. She was recovering well after the stitches were removed. However, she had been experiencing breathing difficulties for the past four days. She was also suffering from kidney disease. When we went to feed her dinner on Sunday evening, we found that she had stopped breathing.”

He added that her janaza (funeral prayer) will be held after Zuhr on Monday near their home, and she will be buried at Banani Graveyard next to her mother’s grave.

Sara Ara, also known as Jhinu, married Altaf Mahmud on October 16, 1966. She was the eldest daughter of the Billah family, who were known for their cultural inclinations. After marrying Altaf Mahmud, Sara Ara became Sara Ara Mahmud. At the time of their marriage, Sara was a tenth-grade student. Their wedding was arranged with the help of Begum Sufia Kamal. Despite the age difference, their married life was happy. In their five years of marriage, they were blessed with a daughter, Shaon.

On August 30, 1971, Altaf Mahmud was arrested by the Pakistani army on charges of aiding the guerrilla fighters of Crack Platoon. After his arrest, the renowned musician was never seen again. During the arrest, the Pakistani army recovered a trunk of ammunition buried under a jackfruit tree in Altaf Mahmud’s yard.

After losing Altaf Mahmud, Sara Mahmud’s life became a struggle to raise her only daughter, Shaon. From then on, she remained an active advocate for the trial of war criminals and a bearer of the spirit of the Liberation War.

Sara Mahmud worked at the Shilpakala Academy for 34 years and also served as the director of the Drama and Film Department.

She was a witness to the day Altaf Mahmud was taken away by the Pakistani forces from their home opposite Rajarbagh in Dhaka. Over the years, she recounted the events of that day in various media interviews.

Sara Mahmud’s younger sister, Shimul Yusuf, is a well-known figure in Bangladesh’s theater scene and is celebrated as “Monchokusum” (Stage Blossom).

The wife of the composer of the timeless Ekushey song and a language movement hero has passed away in the very month dedicated to language.