Since Kazi Nazrul Islam arrived in Bangladesh on May 24, 1972, the government has formally acknowledged him as the country’s national poet.
“In accordance with the proposal approved at the December meeting of the Advisory Council, poet Kazi Nazrul Islam has been declared the National Poet of Bangladesh,” read a gazette notification issued today by the cultural affairs ministry.
At the December 5 meeting of the Advisory Council, the request to designate Kazi Nazrul Islam as the national poet was accepted.
“The decision of the interim government will be remembered in history as no political or other government has taken the decision in the past despite the sincere expectations of the common people for years,” said Md. Latiful Islam Shibli, executive director of the Kabi Nazrul Institute, who thanked the government for taking such an initiative.
He claimed that many sociocultural organizations and Nazrul enthusiasts had been clamoring for years, from the streets to the courts, for this long-overdue demand.
“There had been writings and articles with the demand. Discussion also took place in the national parliament in this regard,” he said, adding, “However, after reaching the issue to the minister’s table, a popular cultural minister of the fascist Awami regime rejected this demand”.
On May 24, 1972, poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and his family traveled from Kolkata to Dhaka as part of a government program. They were given the residence of house 330-B on 28 (Old) Road in Dhanmondi.
On February 18, 1976, the poet received the coveted Ekushey Padak from the Bangladeshi government, along with Bangladeshi citizenship.
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