Staff Correspondent

 Minister for Cultural Affairs Nitai Roy Chowdhury called upon the youth to draw inspiration from the humanism, non-communalism, equality, and patriotic ideals of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam during a day-long cultural competition on Tuesday.

The cultural competition was organized at the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College auditorium in Dhaka on Tuesday, September 15, as part of the "Nazrul Year" observances. Speaking as the chief guest, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury highlighted that fostering healthy cultural practices through Nazrul's works is essential for awakening creativity, moral values, and civic duty among the new generation.

The Minister recalled that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman officially declared "Nazrul Year" during the inauguration of a three-day event in Trishal commemorating the 127th birth anniversary of the National Poet. To mark the year, the ministry has taken initiatives to organize simultaneous cultural competitions across all educational institutions nationwide.

Paying tribute to Viqarunnisa Noon, the founder of the institution, Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury recited iconic verses from Nazrul's famous poems "Bidrohi" and "Samyabadi." He emphasized Nazrul's unique role in promoting communal harmony through his simultaneous composition of Islamic songs and Shyama Sangeet, as well as his enrichment of the Bengali language through the creative use of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu vocabulary.

The Minister also recalled the visionary initiative of late President Ziaur Rahman in establishing the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Nazrul Institute. Presided over by acting Principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College Majeda Begum, the event was attended by Joint Secretaries of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, teachers, guardians, and students, who later presented cultural performances.