Chief Whip of Parliament Nurul Islam Moni has said national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was a poet of protest against injustice, oppression and exploitation, as well as a poet of love, humanity, faith and rebellion. “Nazrul is not born again in every generation — he lives among us through his body of work,” Moni said. “The leadership Bangladesh needs today against injustice and oppression is the leadership Tareque Rahman is providing. Our Nazrul is Tareque Rahman.”
He made the remarks as chief guest at a discussion held Monday, August 24, at the Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club in the capital, organized by the Bangladesh Nationalist Cultural Front to mark the 50th death anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
MP Muhammad Abdul Malek spoke as special guest at the event, while MP Khairul Kabir Khokon delivered the keynote address.
Nurul Islam Moni said the people of Bangladesh had long suffered injustice, persecution, oppression and human rights violations, and that incidents such as the “aynaghar” secret detention centers, enforced disappearances, and imprisonment and persecution had left deep scars on the public consciousness. He said Tareque Rahman had led the struggle to restore people’s rights against these injustices and had stood by the people through difficult times.
He said Nazrul is not born again in every generation, and that the Nazrul Bangladesh has been given must not be neglected, or he will not be found again. In the same way, he said, people need to recognize the leadership Tareque Rahman is providing for the country’s welfare and stand beside him.
The chief whip said Kazi Nazrul Islam’s work engaged with the many injustices and inconsistencies of society and the state, hunger, poverty and people’s rights. He spoke for ordinary people, he said, and for the oppressed — and for that, the Bengali nation and Bangladesh remain forever in his debt.
He said Nazrul was not the poet of any one community alone, but a poet for all people. His writing contains both rebellion and love, humanity and the language of basic human rights, he said. Nazrul was not given his due recognition during his lifetime, Moni said, so his ideals and humanist spirit must be embraced in daily life, not simply commemorated formally on his death anniversary.
He added that the country’s existing problems cannot be solved overnight. Moving a country forward after overcoming long-standing crises takes time and collective effort, he said, so the public must be patient, and everyone must fulfill their responsibilities from their own position to help move the country forward.
The chief whip said Bangladesh had once recovered from famine and crisis under the leadership of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, whose contribution to the country’s progress remains memorable. He said today’s Bangladesh must likewise work together to overcome its economic, political and social crises.
The event, chaired by Bangladesh Nationalist Cultural Front President Humayun Kabir Bepari, also featured remarks from Professor Abdul Latif Masum and playwright Babul Ahmed. Figures from the cultural sphere, leaders of cultural organizations and journalists attended the discussion.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report