Md Shah Jamal, Jamalpur

A three day flamboyant programme to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam concluded at Darirampur in Trishal Saturday night.

The celebrations began on May 23 at Darirampur Nazrul Mancha. Organised by Mymensingh District administration and assisted by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, a series of programmes including discussions, cultural shows, book fair and a ‘Nazrul Mela’ were taken.

Muhibur Rahman, state minister for Disaster Management and Relief inaugurated the celebrations as chief guest with deputy commissioner of Mymensingh Dider-E-Alam Mohammad Maksud Chowdhury in the chair.

Ashik Sarker, assistant professor at Music Department of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University (JKKNIU); additional deputy commissioner (Education and ICT) Mahfujul Alom Masum and Prof Dr Mohammad Faridul Alam of Chottagram University were the main speakers at the celebrations, said Juwel Ahmed, upazila nirbahi officer in Trishal, also member secretary of the celebrations. The artistes of different cultural organizations of Trishal and Mymensingh performed on the occasions. Some guest artistes including eminent Nazrul artiste Nishat Afza Arzoo enthralled the capacity packed auditorium.

Meanwhile, JKKNIU authority has also taken a three-day programme at its campus concluded on May 27. The three programmes included seminar, discussions, musical soiree, book fair and photograph exhibition on Nazrul.

Prof Dr Soumitra Sekahr Dey, vice-chancellor of JKKNIU inaugurated the celebrations as chief guest with Prof Dr Ataur Rahman, treasurer of the university in the chair.

Among others, Prof Dr Nazrul Islam, Prof Dr Mosharrat Shabnam, Prof Dr Ujjal Kumar Pradhan, Prof Dr Tapon Sarker spoke on the occasion.

Nazrul in Mymensingh Kazi Rafizullah, a police sub-inspector then working at Bardwan in West Bengal took Nazrul to his Kazir Shimla village in Trishal in 1913 and admitted him at Darirampur High School in class VI. Bipin Chandra Chakraborty was its headmaster then.

azrul researcher Rashedul Anam in his book ‘Nazrul Jiboner Trishal Oddhya’ said Nazrul stayed Trishal for a year. Reports have it that Nazrul frequently passed his childhood times at Namapara playing flute under the banyan tree on way his school.

PA Nazir, the then deputy commissioner of Mymensingh who also hailed from Bardwan started Nazrul celebrations in Trishal in gorgeous style in 1965, Anam also said.

To keep alive the bard’s memory, JKKNIU, a culture based university was established in Trishal in 2005.

Now the banyan tree, gripped with sweet memories of Nazrul on the campus is a cultural hub for the university students and teachers, said local people.