Farida Parveen shifted to cabin as condition improves

Renowned folk singer and Ekushey Padak awardee Farida Parveen has been moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a cabin at a private hospital in the capital, as her health condition shows signs of improvement.

The news was confirmed by her son, Imam Jafar Noomani, a faculty member at BRAC University. “My mother was shifted from the ICU to a cabin late last night. She is doing better and can now speak. Doctors have warned, however, that her condition could deteriorate again if visitor access is not strictly controlled. We ask everyone to pray for her full recovery,” he said.

Parveen, who was admitted to the hospital on July 5 with severe respiratory distress, has been undergoing treatment for multiple complications including kidney failure, a brain hemorrhage, and a blood infection. Due to the severity of her condition, she had been placed in the ICU and a medical board was formed on July 9 to oversee her treatment.

When asked about her return home, Noomani stated that she remains under close observation. “It’s too early to say when she will be discharged. Doctors may decide in another two or three days, based on her condition,” he added.

Her husband, renowned instrumentalist Gazi Abdul Hakim, said that “I visited her in the ICU yesterday. She was able to speak a little. Her condition has been improving slowly but steadily. She was moved to the cabin last night, and I’m on my way to see her again today. We request everyone to keep her in their prayers,” he said.

Farida Parveen is one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated voices, known especially for her renditions of Lalon songs. She began her career in 1968 as a listed artist with Rajshahi Radio, performing Nazrul Sangeet. She rose to national fame in 1973 through patriotic songs and received the Ekushey Padak in 1987 for her contributions to music. In 1993, she was honored with the National Film Award for playback singing, and in 2008, she received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize from the Government of Japan.