Entertainment Desk

"I didn’t know Anjana would leave us so soon. I have never seen her sick or taking medicine," says an emotional Sabina Yasmin, reflecting on the loss of her close companion.

The legendary singer, moved to tears, recalled her bond with Anjana Rahman, née Saha, a celebrated actor from the 1970s and 1980s Dhaka film industry.

"We were friends with the same hearts," she said while bidding farewell at the Channel i premises on Saturday.

Sabina shared that their friendship began when they were 6 or 7 years old, learning classical music together under Ustad PC Gomez. "At one time, she was learning to sing," Sabina recounted fondly.

Before Anjana's funeral at the Channel i premises, another funeral service was held at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation, or FDC. She was later laid to rest at Banani graveyard in Dhaka.

Their lifelong friendship was often featured in Anjana’s Facebook posts, which included photos, birthday wishes, and heartfelt messages. As children, they frequently attended dance and music programmes together, a bond that only grew stronger with time.

"We remained close even after growing up," Sabina recalled. "I sang, and she acted as a heroine. Whenever we went abroad for events, we stood out. We always stayed and travelled together. Our hearts were inseparable."

Anjana passed away at 1:20am on Saturday at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

She had been on ventilator support since Wednesday night due to multiple complications, including blood infection, fluid in her lungs, elevated creatinine levels, and a stroke.

Anjana, who earned National Film Award for her contributions to film and dance, could not recover from her condition.