A forgotten day
Most people are acquainted with the poem “Kothay Shargo, Kothay Narok, Ke Bole Ta Bohudur….”. Unfortunately Shaikh Fazlul Karim , the man who wrote this brilliant poem, remains unsung as was evident when his 129th birth anniversary on April 13 came and went without any national endeavour to observe the day.
There is an irony in this lack of recognition Today, Karim's poems and stories have found a place in the syllabus of many schools. Besides he was a prolific poet, novelist, short story writer and author of children's stories. Around 55 of his poetry books, fictional works, and novels were published in Kolkata by various publishing houses.
The only reminders of the poet in Lalmonirhat are the Kobi Shaikh Fazlul Karim Girls High School in Lalmonirhat town and a reading club in the poet's native village Kakina.
Yet Karim, believe his many admirers is deserving of national recognition. “His in depth writings truly open the third eye. No wonder Shaikh Fazlul Karim was called the poet for mankind,” said poet Ferdousi Rahman, going on to add that the government should accord him national recognition.
What makes it even worse is that the poet's house in danger of becoming a relic of the past and his graveyard is threatened by erosion by a pond.
Headmaster of Kobi Shaikh Fazlul Karim Girls High School, Sekendar Ali Sarker asserted that the need of the moment was to keep alive the memories of the great poet.
Teachers, students and a cross section of society in Lalmonirhat urged the government to accord recognition to Karim and publish his writings.
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