This honour belongs to the people: Runa Laila

Legendary singer Runa Laila, one of the subcontinent’s most celebrated voices, continues to command admiration across generations. With a career that has taken Bangla music to international audiences, she remains an enduring cultural figure for Bangladesh.

The artiste has announced two new developments in her career. A new song, titled “Anayashe”, is set for release on May 16, accompanied by a music video. In addition, she is to be honoured at the Delhi International Film Festival with the Minar-E-Dilli award.

The festival will open on May 4 at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi, concluding on May 8, where the award will be presented.

Image

Reflecting on the recognition, Runa Laila said, “I feel this is not only an honour for me, but a great honour for the country as well. I am proud to receive this as a Bangladeshi artiste.” She also expressed gratitude to the organisers and said she was informed of the honour through a letter from festival chairman Ram Kishore.

Speaking about her upcoming release, the singer noted that the song was initially planned as a solo, but later evolved into a duet with Bappa Mazumder. “At first, Bappa was hesitant and asked if he could sing with me,” she said, adding that she encouraged him, leading to the collaboration.

Describing the track, she said it carries a fresh musical tone with elements of ghazal. “This is the first time I have sung something in this style. The composition and lyrics have come together beautifully,” she said. The song has been written by Galib Hasan, with composition and music direction by Bappa Mazumder.

Runa Laila also reflected on her continued engagement with music. “It is by the grace of the Almighty that I am still able to sing,” she said, expressing her desire to continue performing for as long as possible.

Recently, she performed in Sylhet, where she sang on stage for nearly an hour and a half. “It was a fulfilling experience. Being able to perform like this is also a blessing,” she added.