Today marks the 72nd birth anniversary of the country’s noted singer Shahnaz Rahmatullah.
Born on 2 January in 1952, she debuted in singing at the age of 11, as a playback singer for the film “Notun Sur” in 1963. Shahnaz Rahmatullah first performed on television in 1964. She sang in Bangladeshi and Pakistani films. She mostly sang modern (Adhunik Gaan) and patriotic songs.  
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Shahnaz Rahmatullah sang patriotic songs such as “Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhe” and “Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan”. She released an album with Samina Chowdhury called “Megh Roddur” on which she sang six songs composed by Shafiq Tuhin.  She released four albums in total.
Four of Rahmatullah’s songs were selected in a BBC survey of 20 greatest Bangla songs of all times. Her notable songs are “Ekbar Jete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye”, “Je Chilo Drishtir Shimanay” and “Ek Tara Tui Desher Kotha” and others.
The noted singer breathed her last on 23 March in 2019.