Renowned mystic Baul singer Sunil Karmakar passed away early Friday morning while undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. His death has cast a pall of gloom over the country’s folk music community.
Confirming the matter, Rezaul Karim Aslam, president of the Mymensingh Baul Association, told the media that Sunil Karmakar had been suffering from neurological complications and respiratory problems for a long time.
“At a time when Baul traditions are gradually fading amid modern and smart cultural trends, Sunil Karmakar played a pioneering role in preserving this heritage,” Rezaul Karim Aslam said.
“Though he lost his eyesight, his inner world was illuminated with countless lights. Through his songs, Baul music and rural Bengal found life,” he added.
According to the association, Sunil Karmakar performed the works of many legendary mystic singers, including Jalal Khan, Ukil Munshi, Rashid Uddin and Manmohan Dutta, both at home and abroad.
An accomplished musician, he was proficient in playing several instruments such as the violin, dotara, tabla and harmonium. He also composed and tuned more than a hundred folk songs.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to folk music, Sunil Karmakar was awarded the Shilpakala Padak by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 2022.
Born on January 15, 1959, in Barnal village of Kendua upazila in Netrokona district, Sunil Karmakar was the eldest of three brothers. His father was Dinesh Karmakar, and his mother Kamala Rani Karmakar.
His interest in Baul music began at the age of seven. At eight, he lost his eyesight after suffering from typhoid fever but continued his musical pursuit undeterred. Later, he became a disciple of Ustad Israel Mia, the chief disciple of eminent mystic singer Ustad Jalal Uddin Khan, and dedicated his life to Baul practices.
Meanwhile, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki expressed deep sorrow at his death.
In a condolence message, he said, “The death of Sunil Karmakar is an irreparable loss to our cultural arena. I pray for the eternal peace of his departed soul.”
The condolence message also noted that upon learning about the artist’s illness, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs had extended support for his medical treatment.