Tale of a baul song composer

Md Mahabub Alam :
It has been proving for decades that merit does not only lie in highly academic qualifiers but also in uneducated or a little bit educated.
If we look into life of Socrates, Shakespeare and Kazi Nazrul Islam, it is clear to us they did not have high academic background. Rather the educated read their brilliant writings for increasing knowledge.
Mohammad Yunus Khan may be described among those meritorious, who does not belong to highly academic feat. But he has shown his rich and brightness by composing 6,500 baul songs in seven years period, which is rare in the history of such song.
His songs represent the spirituality, sorrow and happiness of people affected by the erosion of River Padma, nature and patriotism bearing some titles. These are: Prarthona (prayer), Shariat-Marfot Pala, Jib-Porom Pala, Gurutattwa, Nari-Purush Pala, Khwaza Boropir-er Shan, Nobir Naam-e Shan, folk and patriotic song, separation (Bichchhed) and Murshidi.
Moreover, Yunus Khan, son of Haji Amir Hossain Khan and Jaigoon Bibi, was born at Pinepara village under east Nawdoba Union in Jajira upazila, Shariatpur in 1963. He is the second among his parents’ eight children.
He studied only Class-IV. He had no option but to leave the study due to family related reasons. He was a fan of baul songs from his early age. He used to sing song and took part in different cultural programmes particularly in ‘baul-song-pala’ despite excessive pressure of work.
A cloudy day, he was in pensive mode and thinking what his future life would be as he has only four daughters but not a son.
“I have no son but four daughters. Who will hold existence of my next generation? If I had a son, he would take care of me in my old age,” he was thinking himself.
Then a sudden contemplation grasped over his head that he should do something that would live him among people. He started composing a song titled La-Ilaha Illallah much-e bol re momin-er dol… Ekin diye poro tawba paap-er hobe tol… Hoiya jao Mohammad (SM)-er dol… Oi naam-e poro durud, mone barbe bol.
His song titled Allah tumi ajob karigor, koto sundor kore goriyachho aamar ei deho ghor and another one titled Bondhur ashai gelo re aamar jibon, keno ami dekhechhilam ei shukh-er swapan.
He and his wife Laksmi Begum fortunately gave birth a male child later.
Baul singers Maya Rani, Doli Parveen, Rashid Boyati, Jahangir Boyati, and Ruhul Amin Boyati are among those who composed tunes and music of his songs.
While asking him why didn’t he release any audio-cassette or CD Yunus Khan replied, “Due to my financial constraint I couldn’t be able to release any cassette or CD right now,” and adding, “If I would get the opportunity or any audio production company comes forward to sponsor me it can be possible to release my album.” n