DHAKA: The 40th death anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is being marked across the country on Saturday (August 27).
On this day (12 Bhadra of Bangla calendar year) in 1976, the poet of love, equality, rebellion and renaissance passed away at the then PG Hospital, now Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, in city.
The Poet was buried with state honour beside the Dhaka University (DU) central mosque, as per his last wishes.
In memory of the rebel poet, cultural affairs ministry, Bangla Academy, Dhaka University, different academic institutions and socio-cultural organizations have chalked out elaborate programs.
Besides, television channels and radio stations are airing an array of quality programs in memory of Nazrul while the national dailies and online news portals have published special supplements marking the day.
Dhaka University started its programs of the day with Qurankhwani after Fajr prayers at DU central mosque. Later, a teachers, students, officers and employees of the university brought out a procession in front of the sculpture 'Aparajeo Bangla'.
DU vice-chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique led a procession around 7.15am to place wreath at the grave of the poet.
Besides, special prayer was offered at the poet's grave and a discussion held there with the DU VC in the chair.
Nazrul was born on 24 May 1899 in the village of Churulia in Burdwan, West Bengal. His father, Kazi Fakir Ahmed, was the imam of a mosque and the caretaker of a mausoleum. After his father’s death in 1908, Nazrul took up his father’s job as caretaker and also served as muazzin of the mosque to support his family.
He was a poet, lyricist, musician and revolutionary. The nation got inspirations from Nazrul's poems and songs during the Liberation War and all democratic movements and struggles.
Nazrul was a Bengali polymath, poet, writer, musician and revolutionary. His poetry and music espoused Indo-Islamic renaissance and intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression line with the equality of human being.
His works include more than 2,400 songs, around 60 books on novels, poetry, song and story. Byathar Dan (Offerings of Pain), Bisher Bansi (The Poison Flute), Sindhu Hindol (The Undulation on the sea) and Bandhan Hara (Free from Bonds) are among of those to mention.
After the Independence of Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought poet Nazrul Islam to Dhaka from Kolkata along with his family and made arrangements for living with state honour.
Bangabandhu also provided a residence for the family of the poet in the city's Dhanmondi.
BDST: 0957 HRS, AUG 27, 2016
SR
