Ekushey Padak-winning folk singer Sushma Das passed away on March 26, 2025. Bangladesh Feminist Archives expresses deep sorrow at her passing.
Sushma Das was born in 1929 in Sunamganj, Sylhet. She came from a culturally enriched household—her father, Rashiklal Das, was a folk lyricist, and her mother, Divyamayi Das, was a songwriter. Her brother, Pandit Ram Kanai Das, was also an Ekushey Padak recipient.
Remarkably, she memorized thousands of ancient folk songs without relying on written manuscripts, performing them from memory on countless stages. As a result, most of her songs have never been documented in textual form, living instead through oral tradition and her performances. Currently, the only written record of her music is the 2020 book by Azimul Raja Chowdhury titled “Sushma Das Ebong Prachin Lokgeeti,” which documents just 290 of her songs.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives urges the relevant state authorities to archive her invaluable art promptly. Otherwise, there is a real risk that her contributions could fade with time. It is crucial that artists be honored genuinely, beyond performative gestures
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 