Cultural Correspondent

 Artist Club Limited presented its first classical music evening as part of its regular cultural program "Iconic Tuesday," featuring a solo flute recital by Ekushey Padak recipient Ustad Azizul Islam at the Artist Club Lounge in Banani on Tuesday.

Artist Club Limited President Sujit Mustafa introduced Ustad Azizul Islam to the audience at the start of the event and hosted the evening's proceedings. Ustad Azizul Islam began his performance on Tuesday with Raga Yaman, followed by Raga Shri, Raga Hamir, and Raga Jaijaiwanti—the latter two closely associated with compositions by National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. He subsequently performed Khamaj Dhun and concluded the recital with Raga Bhatiyali, reflecting six decades of musical devotion.

The event was attended by AHM Mostafizur Rahman, Senior Member and Advisor of Artist Club, dancer Munmun Ahmed, and other members of the cultural community, with light and sound management handled by Anisuzzaman Anis. Organised under the club's motto "Where Artists Stand Together," the program marked Artist Club Limited’s first dedicated classical music initiative aimed at connecting audiences with traditional Bangladeshi cultural heritage.

Born on May 2, 1944, in Rajbari, Ustad Azizul Islam trained under classical music masters including Pandit Priyada Ranjan Sengupta, Ustad Belayet Ali Khan, Ustad Bahadur Khan, Pandit Debendra Muddeshwar, and Pandit V.G. Karnad. A former merchant vessel captain educated at Chittagong College and the Bangladesh Marine Academy, the veteran flautist was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2017 for his contributions to music, having performed extensively across Bangladesh, India, Singapore, and Australia.