Nazrul’s 109th birth anniversary today (25 May)
The 109th birth anniversary of the national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, the voice of dissent and revolution whose poems and songs were a clarion call to the oppressed and the indignant, will be observed today.
The government and several socio-cultural and political organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.
The programmes will begin with the placing of flowers and wreaths at 6:00am on the poet’s grave beside the mosque in Dhaka University’s premises. There will be discussions, rallies, cultural functions and a fair of books written by the poet.
Newspapers have published special supplements to mark the day. Television channels and radios are also featuring special programmes to commemorate the poet.
Nazrul Islam was born on this day in 1899 at Churulia in Burdwan of West Bengal. A poet, lyricist, tunesmith, music composer, musician, dramatist, short story writer and revolutionary thinker, Nazrul is best known for his fiery poems that inspired the Bengali people to rise against British colonial rule as well as all types of injustice, discrimination and oppression.
He is widely known as the ‘Bidrohi Kobi’ (Rebel Poet) as many of his poems and songs demonstrate an intense rebellious spirit against all oppression of human beings, whether traditional, cultural or communal. The poet also condemned religious bigotry and upheld the cause of the downtrodden.
The nearly 3,000 songs he composed have become a new genre of Bengali music known after his name [Nazrul Giti] and widely popular in the eastern part of the subcontinent. Some of them are of such an extremely high standard that they are held up as examples to musicians and composers. Nazrul’s songs and poems were also a great source of inspiration for the freedom-fighters during the anti-colonial revolution and our War of Independence against the Pakistani junta.
He is officially recognised as the national poet of Bangladesh and is also widely honoured in India. He died in Dhaka on August 29, 1976.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed paid glowing tributes to Nazrul on the eve of his birth anniversary, along with hundreds of other cultural and political personalities.
In his message, the president said, ‘The vibrant life and creative works of Kazi Nazrul Islam, a poet of equality and humanity, is our endless source of inspiration.’
The chief adviser in his message said, ‘His writing against injustice, oppression and deprivation was uncompromising. Poet Nazrul was strident against imperialism, communalism and superstition of society. He is the source of endless inspiration among people who are struggling for establishing justice in the world.’
The main programme will be held in the Osmani Memorial Hall in Dhaka at 10am today with Fakhruddin as the chief guest. Mohammad Abdul Qayum, an eminent researcher on Nazrul and his works, will deliver the Nazrul Memorial Lecture.
The cultural affairs ministry will also publish posters and souvenirs as part of the programme.
Other important programmes on the day will be held at Trishal in Mymensingh and Doulatpur in Comilla, where the poet passed several years of his life.
The Nazrul Institute, Nazrul Academy, Nazrul Singers’ Council, Bangladesh Cultural Council, Chhayanaut, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Charan Sanskritik Kendra and Bangabandhu Sanskritik Jote, among others, will observe the day through various colourful programmes.
The Department of World Religions of Dhaka University will celebrate the day as World Inter-Religious Harmony Day.
Impress Telefilm will mark the day through a cultural programme it will stage at a building in Tejgaon at 11.00am. The Bangladesh Performing Media Centre will stage a cultural programme at the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium in the National Museum, Shahbagh, at 7.00pm.
Anisur Rahman | original source
