National celebration of Nazrul's 108th birth anniversary
Ershad Kamol
Ministry of Cultural Affairs arranged a two-day programme (on May 25 and May 26) to celebrate 108th birth anniversary of our National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed inaugurated the programme on May 25 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. On the following day a cultural programme was held at the National Theatre Stage, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). The programme was supervised by BSA. The inaugural programme was presided over by adviser to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Ayub Quadri. ABM Abdul Haque Chowdhury, secretary to the ministry, delivered the welcome speech. Nazrul exponent Professor Rafiqul Islam delivered the commemorative speech. Nazrul's granddaughter Khilkhil Kazi also spoke at the programme. At the cultural programme, artistes paid homage to the National Poet with music, dance and recitation. Yasmin Mushtari rendered Akashey aj, Khairul Anam Shakil sang Padmar dheure, and Ferit Ergin (the Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh) presented Torun premik and Rumjhum khejur patar. Shafi Kamal recited Nazrul's poem Aj srishti shukher ullashey. Two group dance performances accompanied by a Nazrul song, Anjali loho mor, and the iconic poem by the 'rebel poet', Bidrohi, were presented on the opening day. Music, dance drama and recitation were featured on the second day of the programme as well. The event began with a chorus rendition of a patriotic Nazrul song -- Shyamla baron bangla ma-er roop dekhe ja -- presented by BSA staff artistes. Singers of Nazrul Academy presented another group rendition -- O bhai khati shonar cheye khati. Singers Salahuddin Ahmed, Nashid Kamal, Yakub Ali Khan, Leena Taposhi Khan, Sujit Mustafa and Bulbul Mahalanobish presented Nazrul songs featuring diverse styles. Renditions of Amar apnar cheye apon by Salahuddin Ahmed, Nodir naam shoi anjona by Nashid Kamal and Nilambori shari porey by Yakub Ali Khan were lauded by the audience. Mahidul Islam Mahi and Dalia Ahmed recited two poems Abhibhashon and Bashonti. Artistes of Nrityadhara and Rewaz Performers School presented group dance while Sohel Rahman and Farzana Ria Chowdhury staged a duet dance. Another attraction of the evening was a dance-drama, Hajar Tarer Beena, by the artistes of Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA). Dr. Enamul Haque's dance-drama Hajar Tarer Beena symbolically represents the biography of Nazrul, zooming in on his active stance against oppression through writings, poetry, songs and more. Directed by eminent dancer Rahija Khanom Jhunu, the dance-drama featured Sohel Rahman, Farhana Chowdhury Baby, Abdul Matin and Abdur Rashid Swapon in lead roles. Songs by Mahmudunnabi, Shahnaz Rahmatullah, Nazmul Huda and Leena Nazmul were used as the background music for Hajar Tarer Beena . However, the sound system at the programme was not up to the mark and disrupted the performance on the whole.
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