A childhood steeped in song
Born in a village in Kushtia, Salma grew up surrounded by music. Her uncle was a singer, and the household often echoed with Lalon Shah’s spiritual songs. “Listening to Lalon from a very young age drew me to music,” she recalled. When she was just four, her elder brother, Naharul Islam, took her to Ustad Shafi Mondol, who became her first teacher. “I began learning under Ustad Shafi Mondol. After five or six years of classical training, my musical journey began to take shape,” she said.
Breakthrough and recognition
Salma’s public career took off with the music reality show Close Up 1, which introduced her voice to audiences across the country. “My father always wanted me to sing,” she said. “My uncles, cousins, and brother encouraged me too.” What began as casual childhood singing soon became a lifelong pursuit, driven by her family’s unwavering support.
“My family’s encouragement and the love of people in Bangladesh have always been my biggest inspiration,” she added. “Their constant support has helped me keep moving forward in music.”
On the silver screen
Her first film song, “Amar Ek Noyon,” released under the Gaanchill label, brought her closer to mainstream fame. It opened doors to more playback opportunities, and she went on to collaborate with composers such as Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul and Emon Saha.
A return to film music
After years away from the big screen, Salma recently lent her voice to a song in the film Nondini, which has been well-received by listeners. “It’s been a while since one of my songs was released in a film,” she said. “I recorded it long ago, and people are saying it’s refreshing to hear a good song after a long time. Hearing such appreciation is rewarding. Every song teaches me something new—it’s a new experience, a new spark.”
Present focus
Salma Akhter now runs her own music channel, where she occasionally releases new songs for her fans. “For some time, I couldn’t focus on music because of business commitments,” she said. “Now I’m trying to give it the attention it deserves and create songs that listeners will truly enjoy.” She hopes her audience will embrace her new work, saying their love continues to give her strength.
Humanitarian vision
Beyond music, Salma is also deeply engaged in humanitarian causes. She hopes to be remembered not just as a singer, but as someone who cared for others. Her dream is to support orphans, street children, and children with disabilities.
“Music is my profession,” she said, “but standing beside people and contributing to society gives me even more joy. I want my songs and my humanitarian work to touch people’s hearts.”