With Songs and Flowers, Chhayanaut Says Goodbye to Sanjida Khatun

Students, fellow cultural activists, colleagues, and admirers gathered at Chhayanaut Sangskriti Bhaban in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi this afternoon to bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr Sanjida Khatun, the revered Rabindra Sangeet exponent and long-serving president of Chhayanaut. 

Her memory was honoured with flowers, songs, and quiet reverence – befitting a life devoted to the preservation of Bangla songs and heritage.

Her body was brought to Chhayanaut around 12:30 pm, where people from various walks of life paid their last respects, many offering musical tributes that echoed the values and vision she nurtured for over seven decades.

Dr Sanjida Khatun passed away yesterday at the age of 92 at Dhaka’s Square Hospital, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter in Bangladesh’s cultural history.

A pioneer of Bangladesh’s cultural movement, Sanjida Khatun co-founded Chhayanaut in the early 1960s during a time of state-imposed cultural suppression. She championed Rabindra Sangeet and Bengali artistic traditions as tools of resistance – efforts that culminated in the formation of Bangladesh Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha during the 1971 Liberation War.

She also co-founded the Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad and led Nalanda, an innovative institution for child education. Her influence shaped generations of musicians, educators, and cultural advocates.

Born in 1933, she completed her BA in Bangla at Dhaka University in 1954, followed by a Master’s and later a PhD from Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, India. She returned to teach at Dhaka University, combining her academic and artistic pursuits with unwavering commitment.

Dr Sanjida Khatun received the Ekushey Padak, one of Bangladesh’s highest civilian honours, and India’s Padma Shri, recognising her lifelong dedication to the arts. Under her leadership, Chhayanaut became one of the most respected institutions for classical music and dance in the country.