The 125th birth anniversary of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was observed in Bangladesh on Saturday, 25th May. The High Commission of India marked the occasion, at an event organized by Indira Gandhi Culture Centre (IGCC) in partnership with Netaji Subhas-Kazi Nazrul Social and Cultural Welfare Trust at Gazipur near Dhaka. Social Welfare Minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni graced the event as the Chief Guest. Many eminent artists participated with stirring recitals of Kavi Nazrul’s poetry and songs.
Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Pranay Verma described Kavi Nazrul as an icon of the shared heritage of Bangladesh and India. He called Kavi Nazrul’s works and the values they radiated, as a lighthouse for humanity’s collective conscience, which will continue to inspire generations to come.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh organised programmes to mark the day at the places linked with the memory of the great poet across Bangladesh in places like Trishal in Mymensingh, Doulatpur in Cumilla, Tewta in Manikganj and Karpasdanga in Chuadanga and Chattogram.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibur Rahman inaugurated the three-day programme at Trishal, Mymensingh to mark the birth anniversary of Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Thursday.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Cultural organisation Chhayanaut organised special programmes on this occasion. The Bangla Academy and Dhaka University representatives paid tribute to the poet by placing a wreath at his grave in Dhaka early in the morning.
President Mohammed Shahbuddin in his message said the poet’s fiery writings speak out for the rights of the exploited and deprived people and teach them to protest against injustice.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina message said that poet Nazrul dreamt of establishing a non-communal, discrimination-free, exploitation-free and peaceful society.
Born in Churulia, near Asansol in Burdwan district in 1899, Kazi Nazrul Islam was a prolific poet, lyricist, musician, revolutionary and philosopher.
He wrote and composed over 2000 songs which are known as ‘Nazrul Geeti’. He was known as a ‘rebel poet’ writing forcefully against exploitation, oppression, religious bigotry and social evils of his time. He was a fierce critic of the British colonial government for which he also suffered jail terms. At the same time, Nazrul wrote some of the most moving poems on love and devotion eulogising both Islamic God and Hindu deities among others.
After the emergence of Bangladesh as a free nation in 1971, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought him to Dhaka and declared him the national poet. He died in 1976.
By – Navalsang Parmar – Dhaka
