National poety 116th birthday... Today

Today is the day that your national poet was born before 116 years ago. He has changed our national life. His philosophy and work influence our day.The 116th anniversary of birth of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is observing across the country on Monday.

Most famous for his fiery poem Bidrohi (The Rebel) and his many melodious songs, Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on 11 Joishtha in Bengali year 1306 in Churulia, near Asansol in the Burdwan district of West Bengal.

He was a poet, lyricist, musician, revolutionary and philosopher. The nation got inspirations from Nazrul’s poems and songs during the great War of Independence and all democratic movements and struggles.

There are 2,400 of his songs, and together, they are known as Nazrul-Geeti or Nazrul Sangit. He composed the songs, which he liked to tune himself.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages paying tributes to the memory of the national poet on the occasion of his 116th anniversary of birth.

The government has fixed elaborate programmes to observe Kazi Nazrul Islam’s anniversary of birth in a befitting manner.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate this year’s main programme of Nazrul Jatyanti in Comilla town hall at 4:30pm under the theme ‘Nazrul in Comilla’. Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor will chair the programme while Professor Shantunu Kaysar will deliver Nazrul memorial speech.

The programme of the day will begin with placing of wreath by the cultural affairs minister at poet’s grave in the Dhaka University campus area at 6:30am.

Dhaka University teachers, students and employees led by Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique will place wreath at the port’s mazar and hold a commemorative meeting there.

The Nazrul Research Centre of Dhaka University will hold a two-day seminar marking the poet’s anniversary of birth.

The Nazrul Institute and the Shilpakala Institute will organize separate discussion meetings and cultural functions marking the day.

Bangla Academy and Nazrul Institute will publish memorial publications and posters of the poet focusing this year’s theme.

The Nazrul Institute will hold exhibition of books, photographs and posters of the poet to make new generation familiar with the versatile works of Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Public Library will arrange book exhibition and reading and easy writing competitions on the occasion.

The local administrations will also celebrate the anniversary of birth at Trishal of Mymensingh and Chittagong, the places that have memories of the poet.

The anniversary of birth of the national poet will also be celebrated in all educational institutes, all the districts and Bangladesh foreign missions abroad.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private television channels will air special programmes and the print media will bring out special supplements highlighting the birth anniversary of the national poet. The poet of rebellion against injustice and taboos, Nazrul nicknamed, Dhuku Mia (Mr Sorrow), true to his name, suffered for a lot in his life.

His father died in 1910 while he was still at school and he became the breadwinner of the family working for a bakery company, Wahid’s, the most well known in north Bengal at that time.

Later, he resumed studies at Darirampur, Trishal, Mymensingh. But he left his studies to join the British Indian Army as a non-commissioned officer and was posted to Karachi. He left the army and settled in Kolkata, where he started publishing a fortnightly, 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, ‘Anandomoir Agomon’ (Advent of Goddess Durga-the Goddess of destruction of all evil).

In prison, he did not stop writing. Of his goaled days, he wrote, ‘Rajbandir Jabanbandi’ (Deposition of a political prisoner). After a prolonged hunger strike, Nazrul was let out of prison. But throughout the ‘20s he found most of his work banned.

After the death of his second son, Kazi Bulbul, the poet was sad. He wrote, ‘My nightingale sleeps forever.’

Although known for his rabid criticism of imperialism, social and religious taboos, Nazrul also explored the themes of love, romance and devotion.

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 ‘30s the leading gramophone company of India, HMV, as a lyricist, employed him full-time. Later All-India Broadcasting Authority employed him.

But his luck once again ran out and in 1942, he developed a rare neurological disorder that led to the loss of his voice and memory. Doctors in Vienna diagnosed it as Pick’s disease.

After independence, Nazrul was declared the national poet and he was brought to Dhaka from Kolkata. He died here in 1976.

In his short articulate years, he also wrote and directed a play, Byathar Dan (The gift of pain).