Nazrul’s works were both inspiration for
and instruments of our liberation, says
Hasina
R
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says the songs
and poems of Kazi Nazrul Islam were both the
inspiration and the weapons of the Bangla
Language Movement and the Liberation War.
The prime minister made the remarks at the
Kazi Nazrul University in West Bengal’s
Asansol during a Special Convocation on
Saturday.
“From the Language Movement to the
Liberation Movement the songs and poems of
Nazrul have acted as both inspiration and
arms,” she said.
“His songs and poems have inspired and
encouraged the people of East Bengal to
protest for justice and revolution – not just
against the tyranny of British rule, but also
against that of Pakistan.”
The Bangalee people have been blessed by
the greatness of poets such as Nazrul and
Rabindranath, the Bangladesh prime minister
said.
Not only have they contributed to our
language, our literature and our culture, they
have also had a positive impact on our value
and lifestyle, she said.
The mixture of tenderness and rebellion in the
hearts of the Bangalee people were nurtured
by these two poets, she added.
West Bengal is celebrating the 119th birthday
of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Saturday.
Bangladesh celebrated the birth of its national
poet on Friday.
Sheikh Hasina was presented with an
honourary D Lit degree by Kazi Nazrul
University at the event on Saturday.
The degree was awarded to Sheikh Hasina for
her role in creating a democratic society free
of exploitation and discrimination, for
empowering women, alleviating poverty and
promoting socio-economic development, said
university Vice Chancellor Swadhan
Chakravarty.
“Today is especially significant for me
because I have been able to visit the great
poet’s place of birth on his birthday and have
received an honourary ‘Doctor of Literature’
degree from the university named after him,”
she said.
“I believe this honour is not for me alone, but
for all the people of Bangladesh.”
She dedicated the degree to ‘all Bangalee
people’.
The prime minister is on a two-day trip to
India during which she also attended the
convocation at Visva-Bharati University and
inaugurated the university’s Bangladesh
Building.
Funded by the Bangladesh government, the
building has a 450-seat theatre, the largest at
the university.
The building also houses a library of books on
Bangladesh and its relations with India as well
as a collection of historical and cultural
artefacts of Bangladesh.
The two sides of the building’s entrance have
murals of Bangabandhu and Tagore.
The inauguration event was attended by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two prime ministers met for bilateral
meetings following the building’s inauguration.
From the Visva-Bharati, Hasina travelled to
Kolkata, where she visited Rabindranath’s
birthplace, the Thakur Bari, at Jorasanko and
met business leaders of Kolkata at the Taj
Bengal hotel where she is staying during the
two-day trip.
She also joined a dinner hosted by West
Bengal Governor Tripathi.
On Saturday morning Hasina travelled by plane
from Kolkata to Durgapur and then travelled
by road to Asansol.
The Kazi Nazrul University’s special
convocation was attended by Bangladesh
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid,
Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali,
Bangladesh Cultural Affairs Minister
Asaduzzaman Noor, Hasina’s advisers HT
Imam, Gowher Rizvi and Tawfiq-e-Elahi as well
as other education, cultural and political
officials.
In 1972 Kazi Nazrul Islam was granted
Bangladeshi citizenship and declared the
national poet of Bangladesh. The poet was laid
to rest on the Dhaka University campus after
his death in 1976.
Though he was born in Charulia, Nazrul
travelled all across Bengal, Hasina said. He
spent a portion of his childhood in
Mymensingh and also lived in Cumilla,
Chattogram, Sirajganj and Faridpur, among
other places, she added.
Hasina spoke of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam
University in Mymensingh and the study and
research of his work undertaken by the Bangla
Academy and at various universities in
Bangladesh.
Following the convocation, the prime minister
is scheduled to return to Kolkata from
Asansol, visit the Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose Museum and meet with local MPs at a
courtesy meeting before returning to Dhaka on
Saturday night.
by: bdnews24