President for building civilized society to honour Nazrul

TRISHAL, MYMENSINGH, May 25 (UNB): President M Zillur Rahman Wednesday urged the people to extend support in building a civilized society and a prosperous country as a mark of respect to the memory of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. "We can show respect to poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in the real sense through building a civilized society and a prosperous country. I urge people of all strata for their sincere support to achieve the goal," he said. The President was speaking at a function at Darirampur High School here, organised by the Ministry of Information and Cultural Affairs marking the 112th birth anniversary of the national poet. Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad presided over the function, also addressed by LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, local MP Reza Ali and Cultural Affairs Secretary Suraiya Begum. Poet Nurul Huda gave the 'Nazrul Memorial Lecture' at the function, where State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promod Mankin, and granddaughters of poet Nazrul - KhilKhil Kazi and Misti Kazi - were present. Terming poet Nazrul as the symbol of non-communal spirit and a man of versatile talents, the President said he was not only editor of Jugbani, Dhumketu, Langol and Gonobani newspapers but was also a noted dramatist, experienced actor and filmmaker, and a social reformer. Saying that poet Nazrul had highlighted the discriminations to women that prevailed in the society about a century ago, M Zillur Rahman questioned whether the women are having equal rights or status in an independent state in this era of immense development of science and knowledge. He said serious hurdles are still to be faced in the country if the efforts are taken to uphold the rights of women. "But we're firmly committed to establishing women's rights and status in Bangladesh whatever the obstacles." Mentioning that poet Nazrul had held a position above everything communal, the President said on one hand he wrote 'Hamd' and 'Naat' explaining Towhid (belief in monotheism) and singing the praise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), and on the other he also had written 'Shyama Sangeet', 'Kirton' and 'Bhazan' for the Hindu community. President M Zillur Rahman said Nazrul's literature, especially his poem and songs, had been a great source of inspiration for the people during the country's liberation war in 1971.