Dhaka's Russian House hosted a measured, music-led tribute on Friday, December 12, marking 70 years of lyricist Shahid Mahmud Jangi's life and work. Titled "Apon Aloy Shahid Mahmud Jangi: Gaaney Gaaney Souttor," the programme brought together musicians, writers, and cultural figures to reflect on Jangi's contribution to Bangladeshi music. The event was organised by Ajob Karkhana.
The evening opened with the launch of a book bearing the same title, "Apon Aloy Shahid Mahmud Jangi: Gaaney Gaaney Sottor". The volume compiles memoirs and research-based essays that examine Jangi's career and influence across decades. Edited by Joy Shahriar, with Nishith Surjo and Shahriar Adnan Shantanu as associate editors, the book situates Jangi within Bangladesh's modern musical history while documenting how his lyrics have circulated through different genres and generations.
The launch drew a broad cross-section of the country's music community. Those present included Rafiq-ul Alam, Khurshid Alam, Faisal Siddiqui Bogi, Naquib Khan, Pilu Khan, Naseem Ali Khan, Samina Chowdhury, Golam Morshed, and Liton Adhikari Rintu. Their attendance reflected the reach of Jangi's work—lyrics that have been interpreted by artists working in folk, band music, playback singing, and contemporary arrangements.
The second half of the programme shifted focus from discussion to performance. Songs written by Jangi were performed by Rafiq-ul Alam, Renaissance, Samina Chowdhury, the Naseem Ali Khan Project, Pantha Kanai, Joy Shahriar, Suman Kalyan, Kishore Dash, Nishith Surjo, and a group of young performers from "Learn Guitar with Asad." The sequence of performances moved steadily across generations, underlining how Jangi's writing continues to find relevance among both established musicians and emerging artists.
Rather than framing Jangi as a static cultural figure, the programme allowed his work to be heard in varied voices and formats. The emphasis remained on continuity: lyrics written decades ago still being sung, reinterpreted, and taught to younger performers. In that sense, the event functioned less as a retrospective and more as a snapshot of an ongoing artistic life.
