Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday mourned the passing away of India’s legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and said that her demise has left a “great void in the subcontinent’s musical arena.” She also recalled her invaluable contribution to Bangladesh's war for Liberation in 1971.
Lata Mangeshkar travelled across cities in India in Indian Air Force (IAF) planes to mobilize support in support of Bangladesh’s Liberation war in 1971 as well as raise funds for the Bengali refugees who had crossed over during the war, as per a report by The Daily Star. “She sang the song "O Dadabhai", composed by Salil Chowdhury for the film "Raktakto Bangla", which was released in December 1972. It is the only song sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Bangladeshi films. Directed by Mumtaz Ali, the movie starred Biswajit Chatterjee, Kabori, and Golam Mustafa, among others,” the report further says.
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“I have deep respect and gratitude for Lataji for her role in the Liberation War of Bangladesh. She, along with her fellow Indian artists, contributed immensely towards promoting the cause of Bangladesh,” a press release by the Bangladesh government read.
PM Hasina also expressed her anguish in a letter to PM Modi. “´We recall Lataji with deep respect and gratitude for her role in the Liberation War of Bangladesh… The people of Bangladesh mourn in solidarity with the people of India in this hour of grief,” a tweet by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.
Bangladesh’s foreign minister Dr. Momen also expressed condolences on Lata Mangeshkar’s demise. He termed it as an irreplaceable loss to the musical world. He also took the opportunity to recall his fond memories of the legendary musician.
Bangladesh President M. Abdul Hamid also expressed his deep condolences yesterday. Calling her “Sur-samraggi”, he said that Lata Mangeshkar will forever be alive in our hearts through her songs.
Lata Mangeshkar had sung over 20,000 songs in her lifetime. She was christened as “Nightingale of India” and was awarded “Bharat Ratna” in 2001. She was 92 years old and passed away due to complications after contracting COVID19.
