# Shahnaz Rahmatullah

Shahnaz Rahmatullah (née Begum; 2 January 1952 – 23 March 2019) was a Pakistani and later Bangladeshi singer. Her notable songs are ''Prothom Bangladesh Amar Sesh Bangladesh'', Ekbar Jete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye, Je Chilo Drishtir Shimanay and Ek Tara Tui Desher Kotha. She was the recipient of the Ekushey Padak in 1992 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Chhutir Phande (1990).

## Background

Rahmatullah was born on 2 January 1952 as Shahnaz Begum in Dhaka to M Fazlul Haq and Asiya Haq. Actor Zafar Iqbal and music director Anwar Parvez were Rahmatullah's brothers. She got trained by ghazal maestro Mehedi Hassan, Ustad Phul Mohammad, Ustad Munir Hossain and Altaf Mahmud.
Rahmatullah was married to Maj (retd) Abul Bashar Rahmatullah.

## Career

Rahmatullah debuted in singing at the age of 11, as a playback singer for the film Notun Sur (1963). She 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, she 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.
Rahmatullah died on 23 March 2019 of a heart attack at her residence in Baridhara, aged 67.
Pakistani journalist, Hamid Mir said, "Shahnaz Begum passed away in Bangladesh on March 23 when many Pakistanis were listening to her famous song Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhay on Pakistan Day."

## Works
### Films

* Notun Sur (1962)
* Abar Tora Manush Ho (1973)
* Ghuddi (1975)

### Albums

* Badal Diner Pakhi

## Film songs

| Year | Film | Song | Composer(s) | Songwriter(s) | Co-artist(s) |
| 1966 | Bhawal Sanyasi | "Sokhi Amar Elo Mrigayay" | Satya Saha | Zia Haider | Anjuman Ara Begum |
| 1966 | Daak Babu | "Holud Baato, Mehndi Baato" | Ali Hossain | Mohammad Moniruzzaman | chorus |
| 1968 | Balyobondu | "Pakhir Kakoli Theme Gelo" | Anwaruddin Khan | Amjad Hossain | solo |
| 1968 | Saat Bhai Champa | "O Saat Bhai Champa Jaago Re" | Amir Ali | Khan Ataur Rahman | solo |
| 1969 | Agantuk | "Ami Je Kebol Bolei Choli" | Azad Rahman | Dr. Abu Haider Sajedur Rahman | Mahmudun Nabi |
| 1969 | Agantuk | "Olira Gun Gun Gunguniye" | Azad Rahman | Dr. Abu Haider Sajedur Rahman | solo |
| 1969 | Mukti | "Tumi Asbe Ei Logone" | Karim Shahbuddin | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1969 | Naginir Prem | "Bondhur Poth Cheye" | Mansur Ahmed | Nurul Islam Lal | solo |
| 1969 | Patalpurir Rajkonya | "Aji Patalpurite Uthal Pathal Uthechhe" | Mansur Ahmed | Nurul Islam Lal | chorus |
| 1969 | Shaheed Titumir (Urdu) | "Laaye Hain Husn Ka" | Mansur Ahmed | Fayyaz Hashmi | Sabina Yasmin |
| 1970 | Anka Banka | "Anuraage Gaane Gaane" | Altaf Mahmud | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1970 | Bablu | "Amar Chhotto Bhaiti" | Karim Shahabuddin | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1970 | Binimoy | "Dekha Nei, Dekha Holo" | Satya Saha | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1970 | Ekoi Ange Eto Roop | "Jibone Rong Chirodin Robe Na" | Ali Hossain | Mohammad Moniruzzaman | solo |
| 1970 | Koto Je Minoti | "Ami Gaanke Bhalobeschhi" | Anwar Parvez | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1970 | Koto Je Minoti | "Amar Koto Gaan Chhilo Je" | Anwar Parvez | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1970 | Koto Je Minoti | "Tumi Saat Sagorer Opar Hote" | Anwar Parvez | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | Abdul Jabbar |
| 1970 | Modhu Milon | "Adhare Alo Hoye" | Bashir Ahmed | Syed Shamsul Haque, Masud Karim, Shahidul Islam | Bashir Ahmed |
| 1970 | Nupur | "Laaj Laage Mor Sokhi" | Karim Shahabuddin | S. M. Hedayet | Sabina Yasmin |
| 1970 | Peech Dhala Poth | "Phooler Kaane Bhromor Ese" | Robin Ghosh | Mohammad Moniruzzaman | solo |
| 1970 | Rong Bodlay | "O Pakhi Re" | Satya Saha | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1972 | Anowara | "Allahumma Salli Aala Muhammad" | Khandaker Nurul Alam | Abdul Latif | solo |
| 1972 | Bahram Badshah | "Hay Hay Mori Joubon Jaala Re" | | Gazi Mazharul Anwar, M A Kashem, Osman Khan | solo |
| 1972 | Ehsaas (Urdu) | "Ruk Jao, Abhi Mat Jao" | Robin Ghosh | | Ahmad Rushdi |
| 1973 | Abar Tora Manush Ho | "Ek Nodi Rokto Periye" | Khan Ataur Rahman | Khan Ataur Rahman | solo |
| 1975 | Aponjon | "Slamalekum, Keno Eto Deri Holo?" | Ali Hossain | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | Khurshid Alam |
| 1977 | Kuasha | "Bondhu Amay Rekho Shudhu" | Azad Rahman | Gazi Mazharul Anwar, Jebunnisa Jamal, Ahmed Zaman Chowdhury | Mahmudun Nabi |
| 1980 | Ghuddi | "Ghum Ghum Chokhe" | Lucky Akhand | Kausar Ahmed Chaudhury | solo |
| 1983 | Sakkhi | "Parina Bhule Jete" | Alauddin Ali | Gazi Mazharul Anwar | solo |
| 1990 | Chhutir Phande | "Sagorer Soikote" | Anwar Parvez | Shahidul Haque Khan | solo |
| 1995 | Muktir Songram | "Ek Nodi Rokto Periye" (part 1) | Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul | Uttam Akash | solo |
| 1995 | Muktir Songram | "Ek Nodi Rokto Periye" (part 2) | Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul | Uttam Akash | solo |
| 1995 | Muktir Songram | "Phooler Kane Bhromor Ese" | Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul | Uttam Akash | solo |

## Non-film songs

| Year | Album | Song | Composer(s) | Songwriter(s) | Co-artist(s) |
| N/A | Single | "Sagorer Teer Theke" | Anwar Parvez | | solo |

## Songs for television

| Year | Show | Song | Composer(s) | Songwriter(s) | Co-artist(s) |
| N/A | Single | "Mayadore Bnadha Poira" | Mansur Ahmed | Nurul Islam | Abdul Alim |
| 1978 | Bangladesh Television | "Prothom Bangladesh Amar Shesh Bangladesh" | Alauddin Ali | Moniruzzaman Monir | solo |
| N/A | Anandamela | "Je Chhilo Drishtir Simanay" | Alauddin Ali | Nazrul Islam Babu | solo |

## Awards

* President's Pride of Performance Medal (1965)
* Ekushey Padak (1992)
* Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer (1990)
* Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award
* Bangladesh Chalachitra Sangbadik Samity Award