India, Bangladesh honour 'Rebel Poet' Kazi Nazrul Islam on birthday

India and Bangladesh are celebrating the 127th birth anniversary of 'Rebel Poet' Kazi Nazrul Islam. Bangladesh has declared a 'Nazrul Year', and joint cultural events between the two nations are being planned, as stated by his granddaughter.

Renowned Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as the "Rebel Poet", served as a cultural link between the people of both India and Bangladesh through his literary works and music. His granddaughter Khilkhil Kazi highlighted how people from both countries loved him immensely, and that he spent most of his life in both countries.

As the 127th birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam is being celebrated in both India and Bangladesh, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a three-day commemorative programme in honour of the poet and declared this year as the "Nazrul Year". Various events are being organised across Bangladesh to mark the occasion, including floral tributes at the poet's shrine, musical performances, discussions, seminars and symposia dedicated to his life and literary contributions in Bangladesh.

A Poet for Two Nations

"Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in West Bengal, India, and he spent a significant part of his life in India as well. After Bangladesh's independence, in 1972, the then-Bangladesh government, led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, invited him to come to Bangladesh. However, he worked in both countries, and the people of both nations loved him immensely", Khilkhil Kazi, granddaughter of Kazi Nazrul Islam, said in an interview with ANI.

Joint India-Bangladesh Initiatives Planned

She noted that discussions are underway regarding a joint project on Kazi Nazrul Islam between Bangladesh and India, and that a joint event centred around the poet's songs is likely to be organised in December this year.

She also stated that a delegation from Bangladesh will visit the poet's birthplace in Churulia in West Bengal to pay tribute to him. However, there has been no official confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the proposed event.

"There is a desire to hold a grand event about Nazrul music artists between Kolkata and Dhaka. This will most probably take place in December, and there will be a grand event of Nazrul music there", Khilkhil Kazi, also the chairman of Bangladesh Nazrul Institute and a researcher of Nazrul Sangeet. (ANI)

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