Lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar launches book, ‘Olpo Kothar Golpo Gaan’

Eminent director, producer, lyricist, and music composer Gazi Mazharul Anwar launched his book, Olpo Kothar Golpo Gaan (Bhashachitro Prokashoni, 2021), at the capital's Gulshan Club on February 22, 2021. 

Widely known for his mastery in the film and music industry, Ekushey Padak-winning Anwar, who turned 78 yesterday, has penned more than 20,000 songs. His career began as a lyricist in Radio Pakistan. In the 1970s, he wrote the popular songs "Ektara tui Desher Kotha", "Ekbar Jete Dena", and the iconic "Joy Bangla Banglar Joy", which became the theme song for the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra (Radio Bangladesh) during the 1971 Liberation War. He went on to work with the likes of Zahir Raihan, Shahnaz Rahmatullah, and Runa Laila; the BBC has included three of his songs to its list of 20 best Bangla songs of all time. 

Olpo Kothar Golpo Gaan includes 200 of these iconic songs. Among them, 50 well known compositions are supplemented in the book with the stories and journeys that inspired them. The book is an attempt at preserving and documenting Anwar's timeless oeuvre which reverberates across the Bangladeshi culture and imagination.

Eminent personalities including Sheikh Said Khan, Syed Abdul Hadi, Rafiqul Alam, Abida Sultana, Fahmida Nabi, and Akhi Alamgir were present at the event alongside his children Upol and Dithi. Actress Anjana performed two of Anwar's songs at the launch.

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