Uttoradhikar: Ayub Bachchu’s legacy lives on through a new generation
For generations of Bangladeshi musicians and listeners, legendary musician Ayub Bachchu was more than a singer, songwriter, composer or guitarist. He was an institution—and now, on his birth anniversary, his legacy is entering a new chapter through “Uttoradhikar—the AB/LRB Tribute Project”, an ambitious initiative to preserve, celebrate and carry his music into the future.
The project was unveiled at a press launch at The Daily Star Centre today. Initiated by Bachchu’s wife, Ferdous Akhter Chondona, and arranged by Chisty Iqbal, it brings together established and emerging artistes and bands to reinterpret some of Ayub Bachchu and LRB’s most beloved songs.
For Chondona, “Uttoradhikar” began with a simple dream. “One day, while having coffee with Chisty bhai, I casually told him, ‘I have a few small dreams. We have all these songs on the YouTube channel, but is there any project we can do with them?’ He asked me, ‘What do you want?’ I said, I want the prominent artistes from the new generation to come together and sing Bachchu’s songs simply because they want to.”
She also insisted that the participating musicians be treated professionally. “Please make sure everyone receives what they deserve. Don’t tell anyone that they have to sing for free. These artistes have struggled immensely to build their careers.”
Yet Chondona’s vision extends far beyond an album. She dreams of creating a space where Bachchu’s guitars and memorabilia can be preserved and experienced by the people who loved his music. Rather than keeping the instruments locked away in a house, she imagines a creative hub with a café, studio, practice facilities and a performance stage.
“Nobody can sing exactly like Bachchu, not even his own children. But we can keep him alive through his legacy. We cannot bring Bachchu back; we can only carry his songs forward,” she said.
The centrepiece of the project is the “AB/LRB Tribute Double Album”, initially released on CD before a vinyl edition. The limited-edition CD box set will include Ayub Bachchu merchandise such as a cap, guitar pick, T-shirt, bandana and mug, and will be priced at Tk 8,000.
The album brings together a striking mix of bands and solo artistes.
Dalchhut perform “Rupali Guitar”, Arbovirus “Neel Bedona”, Shonar Bangla Circus “Gotokal Raat e”, Shuvojatra “Cholo Bodle Jai”, AK Rahul “Mon Chaile Mon”, Calypso “Chad Mama”, RockSalt “Ochena Jibon” and Dopamine “Madhobi”.
Among the solo artistes, Babna Karim and Russel Ali cover “Hashte Dekho”, Romel Ali “Ekhon Onek Raat”, Chandan Zaman Ali and Menon “Meye”, Kaniz Suborna and Sajjad “Koshto Pete Bhalobashi”, Palash “Apon Keho Nai”, Adit Rahman “Ghumonto Shohore”, Joy Shahriar “Koshto Kake Bole”, Bakhtiar Hossain “Raater Tara”, Atika Yamin “Ferari Ei Mon”, Autumnul Moon “Hawker”, Kanak Acharya “Nirobe”, while Towfique Ahmed, AB and Menon come together for “Bangladesh”.
Among those present at the event were senior musicians, including Foad Nasser Babu, Manam Ahmed, Labu Rahman and Aly Sumon.
Iqbal Asif Jewel mastered all the songs. For veteran musician Manam Ahmed, Bachchu’s greatness was also rooted in his generosity towards fellow musicians.
“As musicians, we often struggle to appreciate each other’s work because professional jealousy exists. But Bachchu was someone who would openly appreciate and praise others' work.”
He recalled Bachchu as a musician who constantly imagined what could come next, including the idea of Bangladesh’s Band Music Day. Yet one dream remained unfinished: an instrumental project the two had once discussed.
“We sat together, talked and played a few chords, but our busy schedules got in the way. That dream remained unfulfilled, and it will always be a regret.”
Bachchu’s longtime manager and sound engineer Shamim remembers discovering that legend long before he worked beside him.
“I have been a Bachchu fan since my school days. I first saw him perform when I was in class seven, and watching him play the guitar left me spellbound.”
Their professional relationship began in 2000, when Shamim worked as his sound engineer. After Bachchu left LRB in 2005, he entrusted Shamim with overseeing shows and management; he eventually became a full member of LRB in 2012.
What Shamim misses most is Bachchu’s ability to solve problems.
“During the pandemic, when the music industry came to a standstill, I constantly thought, ‘If Bachchu were here, he would find a way to keep us working.’”
Musician Labu Rahman, who had known Bachchu personally, remembered something simpler—the warmth behind the legend.
“Wherever we were, he would embrace me and say, ‘Come on, mate, how are you?’ There was never any distance between us.” As someone who has played guitar for more than 50 years, Labu particularly admired Bachchu’s dedication.
“He would pick up his guitar at 10 every morning and play until 10 at night. That passion, discipline and sheer madness are what make a true musician.”
They also shared that “Uttoradhikar” will continue beyond its launch. A live concert is planned in Chattogram on September 5, featuring participating artistes performing their interpretations of AB/LRB songs alongside their own music. The project will also document studio sessions, behind-the-scenes moments and artiste interviews.
Twenty music videos are planned—eight full-fledged videos, eight studio performances and four lyric videos—with releases scheduled for late August and early September.
The organisers also plan ‘An Audience with AB’, a private concert for guests, including celebrities and corporate representatives, which will be professionally recorded for later television and social media release.
The vinyl edition, featuring more than 20 AB/LRB songs, is planned for October 18, Bachchu’s death anniversary.
But perhaps the most ambitious dream is “AB’s Kitchen”, named after Bachchu’s famous recording studio. Envisioned as a museum and café, it will preserve his guitars, memorabilia and artefacts, alongside a live stage, recording studio and practice facilities for young musicians.
The proposed space will be sustained through memberships, ticket sales, venue bookings, food and beverage, merchandise and live events, with funding also coming from sponsorships, partnerships and content monetisation.
Intellectual property, trademark and commercial rights will remain with Bachchu’s family and heirs and the respective lyricists, with revenue distributed according to licensing agreements.
Most importantly, the participating artistes have waived their fees and rights for the remakes, choosing to be part of the project out of admiration for Bachchu. And perhaps that is what makes “Uttoradhikar” different.
It is not simply an attempt to remember Ayub Bachchu. It is an attempt to make sure the next generation gets to discover him.
He left behind songs, melodies, guitars and memories. But his greatest legacy may be the musicians and listeners who refuse to let those songs fade.
That is “Uttoradhikar”—the inheritance of music, passed from one generation to the next.
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