Farida Parveen, one of Bangladesh’s most revered folk singers and widely regarded as the “Queen of Lalon songs,” passed away on Saturday night (September 13) in Dhaka. She was 73.

She passed away at 10:15 pm while undergoing treatment at Universal Medical College Hospital, where she had been admitted since September 2 due to kidney complications, said Ashish Kumar Chakraborty, Managing Director of the hospital.

Farida Parveen had been battling kidney disease for years, requiring dialysis twice a week. Doctors moved her to the intensive care unit earlier this month after her condition worsened following a dialysis session. She was placed on a ventilator before passing away on Saturday.

Born on December 31, 1954, in Singra, Natore, Farida Parveen began her musical journey in 1968 as a listed artist for Rajshahi Betar, performing Nazrul songs. She gained early popularity in 1973 with patriotic songs before training under mystic singer Mokshed Ali Shah in Lalon music—a genre she would later embody for decades.

Her five-decade career earned her some of the country’s highest honors, including the Ekushey Padak in 1987 and the National Film Award in 1993. In 2008, the Japanese government awarded her the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize for her contribution to folk music.

She also established Ochin Pakhi School to teach Lalon songs to younger generations. Several of her modern and patriotic songs, including “Tomra Bhulei Gecho Mollikadir Naam” and “Ei Padma, Ei Meghna,” remain beloved classics in Bangladesh.

Farida Parveen is survived by her husband and four children.