Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday said that national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam could be a bridge between Bangladesh and Iran because he carried the philosophy of Persian literature.
They came up with the remark at the seminar marking the 126th birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam, jointly organised by the Kabi Nazrul Institute, Anjumane Farsi Bangladesh and the Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran at Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium at the University of Dhaka.
The DU Bangla department professor Hosne Ara delivered the keynote speech titled the Influence of Persian on Nazrul鈥檚 literature while honourable ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Dhaka Mansour Chavoshi spoke as the guest of honour presided over by executive director of the Kabi Nazrul Institute Md Latiful Islam Shibli.
The DU faculty of arts dean professor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan and cultural counsellor of Iran embassy Seyed Reza Mirmohammadi also spoke at the event.
General Secretary of Anjumane Farsi Bangladesh professor Md Kamal Uddin delivered a welcome speech at the event.
Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was against the imperialist colonial power and ran activism as an anti-colonialist writer and chose Persian words instead of English, Hosne Ara said, adding that Nazrul used many common and uncommon Persian words in his literature.
鈥楴azrul translated many Persian poets including Omar Khayyam, Hafez and Jalaluddin Rumi, adapted their philosophy in his writings and dedicated his book Nazrul-Geetika to the poets of Persian language,鈥� said Hosne Ara.聽
Mansour Chavoshi said that the literary relationship between Bangladesh and Iran developed from ancient times, the Bengal Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah invited his pen friend Persian poet Hafez to visit Bengal.
鈥楴azrul can be a bridge of Bangla and Farsi language who beautifully portrayed humanity, love and rebellion. His literary works will be translated in Farsi and we will take initiative,鈥� said Chavoshi.聽