Legendary musician, researcher, and writer Mustafa Zaman Abbasi has passed away. He breathed his last at 5:30 AM on Saturday at a hospital in Banani, Dhaka. He had been suffering from various age-related complications. He was 89 years old at the time of his death.

Family sources confirmed that he was admitted to the hospital on Friday after experiencing breathing difficulties. Despite medical efforts, he passed away early Saturday morning. His funeral prayer was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque, and later that day, he was laid to rest beside his parents’ graves at Azimpur Graveyard in Dhaka.

Mustafa Zaman Abbasi, who made multidimensional contributions to music, was born into a renowned musical family of the Indian subcontinent. His father, Abbasuddin Ahmed, was a pioneer of Bengali folk music who popularized it internationally. His uncle Abdul Karim was also a noted singer of Bhawaiya and Bhatiali. His elder brother, Mustafa Kamal, was a legal scholar, while his sister Ferdousi Rahman and daughter Nashid Kamal are both established figures in the world of music. His wife, Asma Abbasi, a respected teacher and writer, passed away last year.

Born on December 8, 1936, in Ballamur village of Cooch Behar, India, Abbasi spent his early childhood in Kolkata. He completed his BA and MA from the University of Dhaka and later pursued higher education in marketing at the Harvard Group. Over his long career, he served in several important roles, including Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

A pioneer in folk music research, Abbasi led the Folk Music Research Group for over 50 years and amassed a collection of thousands of folk songs. He performed Bhatiali, Bhawaiya, and Nazrul Sangeet in over 25 countries, taking Bangladeshi music to international platforms. He also served as the President of the UNESCO National Committee of Music in Bangladesh.

Abbasi made significant contributions to television as well. His BTV programs such as Bhora Nodir Banke, Amar Thikana, and Apan Bhubon gained wide popularity. He was also the appointed researcher for the English biographies of Kazi Nazrul Islam and Abbasuddin Ahmed.

Among his notable works are books like History of Folk Music, Bhatir Desher Bhatiali, Rumi’s Mystical Garden, the novels Horinakkhi and Shopnora Thake Shopner Odhare, and several English biographies. He was actively involved with Rotary Club initiatives and served as a governor.

For his outstanding contribution to Bengali culture, he received the prestigious Ekushey Padak and numerous national and international accolades.

The world of music and literature has lost a legend. His contributions will remain etched in the cultural history of Bengal.