Mustafa Zaman Abbasi, celebrated as the "Prince of Bhawaiya" and a respected musicologist, professor, and researcher, has passed away at the age of 87 (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un). His death has cast a shadow of mourning over the music community.

He breathed his last early Saturday morning, May 10, at a hospital in Dhaka’s Banani area. Abbasi had been suffering from age-related complications for a long time. His condition deteriorated suddenly on Friday, leading to respiratory distress, for which he was admitted to the hospital. He died around 5:30 AM while undergoing treatment.

Mustafa Zaman Abbasi hailed from a legendary musical family of the Indian subcontinent. He was the son of the iconic folk singer and composer Abbasuddin Ahmed. His uncle, Abdul Karim, was a popular figure in Bhawaiya and Bhatiali folk genres. His elder brother, Mustafa Kamal, was a legal scholar, while Kamal’s daughter Nashid Kamal is also a noted singer. His sister Ferdousi Rahman is one of the country’s most versatile and acclaimed musicians.

A recipient of the prestigious Ekushey Padak, Abbasi’s passing marks the end of an era in traditional Bangladeshi music.