Today is the 126th anniversary of birth of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
On the eve of the day, interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, in a message on Saturday, paid rich tributes to the memories of Kazi Nazrul Islam and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of the poet.
Different government and socio-cultural organisations, television channels and radio stations have taken elaborate programmes to mark the day.
Dhaka University has taken programmes to mark the birth anniversary of the national poet. As part of the programmes, teachers, students and staff of the university will assemble at the Aparajeya Bangla at 6:15am and then, led by DU vice-chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, will place wreaths at the grave of Kazi Nazrul near the university mosque. A discussion will also be held there with the VC in the chair.
Bangla Academy has also taken programmes to mark the day. The programmes will begin with placing wreaths at the poet鈥檚 grave.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported that the cultural affairs ministry and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy had taken elaborate programmes in the capital Dhaka and Cumilla to mark the day.
A three-day function titled 鈥楳ass Uprising of the 24: Inheritance of Kazi Nazrul鈥� will begin at Cumilla Shilpakala Academy today.
Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki will inaugurate the event as chief guest with secretary of the ministry Md Mofidur Rahman presiding over the ceremony.
Md Latifur Rahman Shibly, executive director of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Institute, and Khilkhil Kazi, granddaughter of the poet and chairperson of the Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Institute trustee board, will address the function as special guests.
As part of the celebrations, the Nazrul Awards for the years 2023 and 2024 will be handed over to recipients for their contributions to the arts and literature.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will organise music, dance and poetry recitation at the BSA in the capital tomorrow.
Apart from the central programmes, celebrations will also take place at various other places, including Mymensingh and Daulatpur in Cumilla places closely associated with the poet鈥檚 life.
Born on Jyaishtha 11 in Bengali year 1306 at Churulia of Burdwan in the then British India, Kazi Nazrul Islam, a poet, lyricist, musician, revolutionary and philosopher, is famous for his fiery poem 鈥楤idrohi鈥� (The Rebel) and many of his poems and melodious songs.
The nation got inspirations from Nazrul鈥檚 poems and songs during the War of Independence and all democratic movements and struggles.
There are 2,400 Nazrul songs, and together, they are known as Nazrul giti. He composed the songs, which he liked to tune himself.
Kazi Nazrul, the poet of rebellion against injustice and taboos, left studies to join the British Indian Army as a non-commissioned officer and was posted to Karachi.
After he left the army, he settled in Kolkata and started publishing a fortnightly named Dhumketu (The Comet). The magazine had a fiery tone and was critical of the British rule in India. He soon found himself in prison for publishing a poem written by him, 鈥楢nandamayeer Agomone鈥�.
In prison, Nazrul did not stop writing. He wrote, 鈥楻ajbandir Jabanbandi鈥� and after a prolonged hunger strike, he was released from the prison. But throughout the 1920s, he found most of his work banned.
Although known for his rabid criticism of imperialism, social and religious taboos, Nazrul also explored the themes of love, romance and devotion in his literary works.
He also introduced a robust style that was very bold and innovative. His use of Persian and Arabic words in Bengali poetry also opened up new literary horizons. In the 1930s, the leading gramophone company of India, HMV, employed him full-time as a lyricist.
Later, All-India Broadcasting Authority employed him.
In 1942, he developed a rare neurological disorder that led to the loss of his voice and memory.
After the War of Independence, with consent of the Indian government, Bangladesh鈥檚 founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought Nazrul and his family to Bangladesh on May 24, 1972, and the poet was given a house at Dhanmondi.
In recognition of his contribution to Bangla literature and culture, Dhaka University awarded the poet the honorary degree of D Lit at a special convocation on December 9, 1974. In January 1976, the Bangladesh government granted him citizenship of Bangladesh and on February 21 awarded him the Ekushey Padak.
The poet passed away on Bhadra 12 in 1383 and was buried beside the central mosque of Dhaka University.
