Dhaka:The 97th birth anniversary of Abdul Halim Boyati, a renowned freedom fighter and maestro of Bichar Gaan, was observed at Dhaka University today. The event celebrated his contributions to the genre of logic- and debate-based folk music.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a remembrance festival titled "Halim Boyati Smoronutshob-2026" was held at the Payra Chattar of the DU Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) this afternoon. The cultural organization 'Hurricane' organized the event, which included discussions by photographer and researcher Nasir Ali Mamun, as well as writers and researchers Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, Dr. Tapan Bagchi, and Dr. Saymon Zakaria. Halim Boyati's disciples Lal Mia Boyati and Nazrul Boyati, along with his son Nishane Halim, shared personal memories during the festival.
The cultural segment featured performances by prominent baul and folk artists, such as Aleya Begum, Fakir Abul Sarkar, Lata Dewan, Ruma Sarkar, Mukta Sarkar, Syed Ashikur Rahman, Biman Chandra Biswas, Boga Taleb, Akash Gayen, Shah Mohammad Shipon, Khokon Chisti, and Nabin Kishor Goswami. Instrumentalists including Alam Boyati, Roni Dewan, and Kanon Miah also participated in the event.
Abdul Halim Boyati, born on October 30, 1929, in Bardoali village, Madaripur district, began his musical journey in childhood. He gained acclaim for his mastery in the 'Bichar' genre of Baul songs and spiritual Sufi music. He was instrumental in popularizing the traditional folk instrument 'Sarinda' in Bangladesh and played it live on the radio for the first time in 1957. He also participated in the Great War of Liberation in 1971.
Throughout his life, Boyati composed over 5,000 songs, collectively known as 'Halim Sangeet', which explore themes such as Dehatattva, Shariat, Marfat, Hakikat, Tariqat, and patriotism. In recognition of his contributions to folk music, he received an honorary fellowship from Bangla Academy in 2001 and the 'Kobi Jasimuddin Researcher Gold'.