Ekushey Padak-winning music researcher, writer, and singer Dr. Mustafa Zaman Abbasi has passed away in Dhaka at the age of 89, casting a pall of grief over the country's cultural community.

He died in the early hours of Saturday at a private hospital in Banani, the capital, where he had been admitted a day earlier with breathing complications. 

His daughter, noted singer Sharmini Abbasi, confirmed the matter.

Abbasi had been suffering from age-related ailments in recent days, family sources said.

Born on December 8, 1936, in Balrampur in Cooch Behar, India, Abbasi hailed from one of the subcontinent’s most distinguished musical families. He was the son of legendary folk singer Abbas Uddin Ahmed, credited with popularising Bangladeshi folk music internationally.

Music was deeply embedded in Abbasi’s upbringing. His uncle Abdul Karim was known for Bhawaiya and Bhatiali songs, while his younger sister Ferdousi Rahman and niece Nashid Kamal also earned acclaim as vocalists. 

His elder brother, Justice Mustafa Kamal, served on Bangladesh’s Supreme Court.

Over a career spanning five decades, Abbasi led the Folk Music Research Group, collecting and preserving thousands of rare folk songs. He served as Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and was a long-time General Manager of the Shilpakala Group.

He performed traditional Bangladeshi music—including Bhatiali, Bhawaiya, Chatka, and Nazrul Sangeet—in more than 25 countries and represented Bangladesh at the International Folk Music Conference in South Korea.

A prolific author, Abbasi penned 21 books on music, history, and culture. His works include 'Muhammader Na', dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also chaired the Bangladesh National Music Committee under UNESCO for over a decade.

Among his many accolades, the Ekushey Padak remains one of his most cherished.

His passing is being widely mourned across Bangladesh’s cultural landscape.

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