Shahnaz Rahmatullah (née Begum; 2 January 1952 – 23 March 2019) was a Bangladeshi singer.^[1][2][3] Her notable songs are Ekbar Jete De Na Amar Chotto Sonar Gaye, Je Chilo Drishtir Shimanay and Ek Tara Tui Desher Kotha.^[4] She was the recipient of the Ekushey Padak in 1992 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Chhutir Phande (1990).^[5][6]

Rahmatullah was born on 2 January 1952 as Shahnaz Begum in Dhaka to M Fazlul Haq and Asiya Haq.^[7] Actor Zafar Iqbal and music director Anwar Parvez were Rahmatullah's brothers.^[3][8] She got trained by ghazal maestro Mehedi Hassan, Ustad Phul Mohammad, Ustad Munir Hossain and Altaf Mahmud.

Rahmatullah was married to Maj (retd) Abul Bashar Rahmatullah.^[9]

Rahmatullah debuted in singing at the age of 11, as a playback singer for the film Notun Sur (1963).^[10][11] She first performed on television in 1964.^[11] She sang in Bangladeshi and Pakistani films.^[12] She mostly sang modern (Adhunik Gaan) and patriotic songs. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she sang patriotic songs such as Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhe and Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan.^[13][14] She released an album with Samina Chowdhury called Megh Roddur on which she sang six songs composed by Shafiq Tuhin.^[15] She released four albums in total.^[10]

Four of Rahmatullah's songs were selected in a BBC survey of 20 greatest Bangla songs of all times.^[10]

Rahmatullah died on 23 March 2019 of a heart attack at her residence in Baridhara, aged 67.^[11]

Pakistani journalist, Hamid Mir said, "Shahnaz Begum passed away in Bangladesh on March 23 when many Pakistanis were listening to her famous song Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhay on Pakistan day."^[10]

Films

• Notun Sur (1962)^[11]
• Abar Tora Manush Ho (1973)^[11]
• Ghuddi (1975)

Albums

• Badal Diner Pakhi^[11]

• President's Pride of Performance Medal (1965)^[18]
• Ekushey Padak (1992)
• Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer (1990)
• Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award
• Bangladesh Chalachitra Sangbadik Samity Award