The Khulna Division is the second largest of the eight divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of 22,285 km2 (8,604 sq mi) and a population of 17,416,645 at the 2022 Bangladesh census. Its headquarters and largest city is Khulna city in Khulna District.
Lalon, also known as Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir, Shahji and titled Fakir, Shah, was a prominent Bengali spiritual leader, philosopher, mystic poet and social reformer born in British India. Regarded as an icon of Bengali culture, he inspired and influenced many philosophers, poets and social thinkers including Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Allen Ginsberg. Lalon's philosophy of humanity rejects all distinctions of caste, class, and creed and takes stand against theological conflicts and racism. It denies all worldly affairs in search of the soul and embodied the socially transformative role of sub-continental Bhakti and Sufism.
The Padma is a major river in Bangladesh. It is the main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for 356 kilometres (221 mi) to its confluence with the Meghna River near the Bay of Bengal. The city of Rajshahi is situated on the banks of the river. Since 1966, over 66,000 hectares of land has been lost due to erosion of the Padma.
Tanvir Mokammel is a Bangladeshi filmmaker and writer. He is the recipient of Ekushey Padak in 2017. He won Bangladesh National Film Awards total ten times for the films Nodir Naam Modhumoti (1995), Chitra Nodir Pare (1999) and Lalsalu (2001). He is the current director of Bangladesh Film Institute in Dhaka.
Sabina Yasmin is a Bangladeshi singer. She is best known as a playback singer in Bengali cinema. She has won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer a record 14 times. She has recorded more than 1,500 songs for films and more than 10,000 songs in total.
Shahnaz Rahmatullah was a Bangladeshi singer. Her notable songs are Ekbar Jete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye, Je Chilo Drishtir Shimanay and Ek Tara Tui Desher Kotha. She was the recipient of the Ekushey Padak in 1992 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Chhutir Phande (1990).
Nilufar Yasmin was a Bangladeshi singer of Nazrul Sangeet, Rajanikanta Geeti, Dwijendra Geeti and Atul Prasdi genre. She was the fourth of five Yasmin sisters of Bangladesh music. Her siblings are Farida Yasmin, Fauzia Yasmin, Nazma Yasmin, and Sabina Yasmin. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2004 by the Government of Bangladesh. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her performance in the film Shuvoda (1986).
Shaheen Samad is a Bangladeshi Nazrul Sangeet singer. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2016 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Mustafa Zaman Abbasi is a Bangladeshi musicologist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1995 by the Government of Bangladesh. Abbasi is the youngest son of folk singer-composer Abbas Uddin Ahmed. As of 2016, he serves as a senior research scholar at the "Kazi Nazrul Islam and Abbasuddin Research and Study Centre" of Independent University, Bangladesh.
Amaresh Roy Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi classical vocalist of the Indian sub-continent. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2016 by the Government of Bangladesh for his contribution to classical music.
Fatema Tuz Zohra is a Bangladeshi Nazrul Geeti singer. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2006 by the Government of Bangladesh. She sings Nazrul songs and modern songs. She has acted in television dramas, performed and performed in various programs. She has also published a book of poems, a book of two rhymes, a novel, a collection of stories and columns and a music book with Nazrul's songs.
Nashid Kamal is a Bangladeshi vocalist, writer and professor of demography. She is the eldest granddaughter of Bengali folk singer Abbasuddin Ahmed. Kamal is widely regarded as a Nazrul exponent. For her contributions to Nazrul's works, she has received awards including the Nazrul Award from the Nazrul Academy in 2009 and Nazrul Padak from the Nazrul Institute in 2014.
Shabnam Mustari is a Bangladeshi Nazrul Geeti singer. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1997 and Nazrul Award in 2014 by the Government of Bangladesh. Her notable songs include `"Laili Tomar Esheche Phiria"`, `"Amai Nohe Go Bhalobasho Mor Gaan"`, `"Piya Piya Piya"`, and `"Tumi Shuniye Cheyona"`.
Khoda Box was a Bangladeshi Baul singer and composer. He was awarded Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 1990 for his contribution to Baul music.
Rizia Parveen is a Bangladeshi singer. She specializes in play back singing and has done over 600 playback songs. Her popular playback songs includes "Tumi Amar Chad Ami Chaderi Alo", "Premer Naame Mitthey Bolona", "Sotti Kotha Gopon Korona", "Sobar Jibone Prem Ase, Tai Sobai Bhalobase" and "Oh Hero Oh Hero I Love You".
Rawshan Ara Mustafiz is a Bangladeshi singer of Nazrul Sangeet genre. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2006 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Ustad Julhas Uddin Ahmed was a Bangladeshi Nazrul Geeti singer and teacher. He was awarded Ekushey Padak for his special contribution in Nazrul Geeti by the government of Bangladesh in 2017.
Khalid Hossain was a Bangladeshi Nazrul Geeti singer. In recognition of his contribution in music, the government of Bangladesh awarded him the country's second highest civilian award Ekushey Padak in 2000.
Dalia Nausheen is a Bangladeshi Nazrul Sangeet singer. She is one of the artists who participated in the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In recognition of her contribution to music, the government of Bangladesh awarded her the country's second highest civilian award Ekushey Padak in 2020.
