Renowned music composer and director Ali Akbar Rupu passed away yesterday at the age of 59, at around 12:40pm at United Hospital. The musician had long been suffering from diabetes, heart and kidney diseases.

Confirming the news, Rupu's son Ali Afzal Sidney told The Daily Star that he had been suffering from heart and kidney ailment for a long time, and was undergoing dialysis in the past seven months. On February 9, he had a stroke during dialysis, and was admitted to United Hospital on February 12 after his health conditions deteriorated severely. From then on, he had been kept at ICU of the hospital.

Rupu's body was taken to Gulshan Azad Mosque and his namaz-e-janaza was held after Asar prayers yesterday. His second namaz-e-janaza was held at Moghbazar Wireless Mosque. He was later laid to eternal rest at Azimpur graveyard.

Ali Akbar Rupu got immense popularity for composing many songs for popular TV magazine programme “Ityadi”. He also worked as music director for films like “Rastar Chhele” and “Dui Biyai-er Kirti”.

Remembering Rupu's contribution to Bangladeshi music, noted lyricist Kabir Bakul said, “Rupu was born in a musical family. His father Ustad Mansur Ali was also a great composer and violinist. His paternal uncle Dheer Ali was also a noted composer. The brothers Dheer Ali and Mansur Ali composed many popular Bangla songs. Eminent musician Alauddin Ali is his maternal uncle. Rupu's mother was a sitarist. So, whatever he did for music, he did with utmost perfection. Almost 90 percent songs of 'Ityadi' were composed by Ali Akbar Rupu, who prominently composed many popular songs like 'Ekdin Kannar Rol Porbe Amar Barite', sung by renowned singer Kumar Bishwajit. His wife Nargis Akbar too wrote a song 'Murdaye Kainda Koy' of the same spirit.”

“Rupu Bhai composed many songs like 'Jare Ghor Dila Shongshar Dila Rey', 'Dorodia Tui Je Amar Ontorer Ontor', 'Doshyu Mukhosh Pore Probesh Kore Ghor-e', all recorded by Kumar Bishwajit; 'Poddo Patar Pani Noy', recorded by Andrew Kishore and 'Tomake Dekhlei Mounota Bhule Jai', recorded by Shakila Sharma. He also composed inaugural songs of satellite TV channels Ekushey TV, ntv and ATN Bangla. Initially, the musician was involved with Azam Khan's band 'Uchcharon' (as keyboardist and guitarist) and later he founded another popular band 'Wings',” said Kabir Bakul.

Rupu is survived by wife Nargis Akbar, a son Ali Afzal Sidney and a daughter Fariha Naz Apon.