Poet Nazrul Islam’s 124th birth anniv today
BSS :
The 124th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will be celebrated across the country today (Thursday) in a befitting manner.
Ministry of Cultural Affairs has taken elaborate programmes to mark the day at the national level. Different organisations and cultural bodies, including Dhaka University, have also taken programmes to celebrate the day amid various functions.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the memories of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on his 124th birth anniversary.
In separate messages, they prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of the poet.
In his message, President Mohammed Shahabuddin said, “On the occasion of the 124th birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, I remember this short-lived poet with utmost respect.”
The head of the state said the poet’s fiery writings speak out for the rights of the exploited and deprived people and teach them to protest against injustice.
The songs and poems of the poet had greatly inspired the freedom-loving people during the War of Liberation, Shahabuddin said.
From his writings, people have been inspired in every democratic movement including anti-British movement, language movement, mass upsurge of 1969 and the Liberation War, he added.
The president hoped that the new generation will be able to enrich themselves by following the lifestyle of Nazrul and devote themselves to build a happy-prosperous Bangladesh with patriotism, honesty and devotion.
“I pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul of this poet,” he continued.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Poet Nazrul has enriched the literature, music and culture of the country through his writings.
She said Nazrul was the first Bengali poet who demanded complete independence of India from British rule.
In his literary works, the message of struggle against subjugation, communalism and imperialism has been uttered, the premier said, adding that possessing an extraordinary and versatile talent, Nazrul was a symbol of secularism and nationalism.
The greatest Bangalee of all time, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was devoted to poet Nazrul, she said.
In the post-independence period, the poet was brought from Kolkata to Bangladesh with the honor of National Poet as per the desire of Bangabandhu, she added.
“Poet Nazrul dreamt of establishing a non-communal, discrimination-free, exploitation-free and peaceful society and we find that reflection in the struggle and actions of the father of the nation,” the premier said.
She believed Nazrul’s work will play a role in building a non-communal, non-discrimination, peaceful, happy-prosperous and modern Bangladesh by removing all evil obstacles from the people’s mindset.
She thought poet Nazrul’s struggling life and his immortal works will be a source of endless inspiration for the Bangalee nation.
The president and the premier wished the overall success of all the programmes taken on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the national poet.
This year’s theme of the day is ‘Agnibinar Shatabarsha: Bangabandhur Chetanai Shanitarup’.
The birth anniversary of the national poet will be celebrated in the poet’s memorable place Trishal in Mymensingh, Doulatpur in Cumilla, Tewta in Manikganj and Karpasdanga in Chuadanga and Chattogram.
The main programme of the birth anniversary will be held at Darirampur of Trishal in Mymensingh. The three-day programmes will jointly be organized by the cultural ministry and the local district administration. Deputy leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Begum Matia Chowdhury will inaugurate the programme.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private television channels will live telecast the inaugural ceremony and air special programmes and print media will bring out special supplements highlighting the birth anniversary of the national poet.
Bangla Academy will pay respect to the national poet by placing wreaths at his grave near Dhaka University mosque and Nazrul’s portrait at Nazrul Mancha on the academy premises at 8am on Thursday.
Dhaka University has taken programmes to mark the birth anniversary of the national poet. As part of the programmes, teachers-students and officials-employees of the university will assembly at the Aparajeo Bangla at 6.15am and then place wreaths at the grave of Nazrul Islam near the university mosque lead by VC Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman. A discussion will also be held there with the vice chancellor in the chair.
Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on the 11th Joishtha in Bengali calendar year 1306 in Churulia, near Asansol in the Burdwan district of West Bengal.
He was famous for his fiery poem Bidrohi (The Rebel) and his many melodious songs. He was a poet, lyricist, musician, revolutionary and philosopher.
The nation got inspirations from Nazrul’s poems and songs during the great Liberation War and all democratic movements and struggles.
There are 2,400 Nazrul songs, and together, they are known as Nazrul-Geeti or Nazrul Sangeet. He composed the songs, which he liked to tune himself.
Considering his impressive talent, Rabindranath Tagore dubbed him as Saraswati’s bor-putra (the gifted son of the Goddess of learning).
After independence, Nazrul was declared the national poet and he was brought to Dhaka from Kolkata by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and given a house at Dhanmondi.
He died here in 1976 and was buried beside the central mosque of Dhaka University.
