Government officially declares Kazi Nazrul Islam national poet

Thu January 2, 2025 10:05 p.m.
Last updated on: Thu January 2, 2025 10:11 p.m.

UNB, Dhaka

Thu January 2, 2025 10:05 p.m. Last updated: Thu January 2, 2025 10:11 p.m.

Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976)

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Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976)

The government officially recognized Kazi Nazrul Islam as the national poet of Bangladesh.

A gazette notification was issued on December 24 last year in this regard.

However, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs made the announcement today, formalizing a recognition long considered overdue.

The decision follows an earlier proposal approved at the Advisory Council meeting held on December 5 last year, suggesting that the status of national poet comes into force retroactively from May 4, 1972.

Kazi Nazrul Islam, widely revered as the “rebel poet”, was brought to Dhaka from Calcutta with his family on May 24, 1972. The government allotted him a residence at 330-B, Road 28 (Old), Dhanmondi, to honor his contributions.

Nazrul obtained Bangladeshi citizenship on February 18, 1976 and was also awarded the prestigious Ekushey Padak in the same year.

The Kazi Nazrul Islamic Institute Act, 2018 officially designated him as the national poet, although a gazette notification is pending until now.

The history of Nazrul’s recognition as a central cultural figure dates back to December 10, 1929, when he was honored as the ‘national poet’ and ‘national helmsman’ at the Albert Hall in Calcutta.

The event was attended by luminaries such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, S Wazed Ali and Dinesh Chandra Das, representing the collective admiration of the Bengali community.

Since Bangladesh’s independence, successive presidents, prime ministers and chief advisors have called Nazrul a national poet in official statements during his birth anniversary celebrations. Despite widespread acceptance of its status, the lack of formal declaration had long been noted.

In June 2022, Supreme Court lawyer Asad Uddin and nine others filed a petition seeking publication of a gazette officially recognizing Nazrul as the national poet.

In response to the petition, the High Court issued a rule asking why the directive should not be implemented and asked the Secretary Cultural Affairs, Director General of Bangla Academy and Executive Director of Nazrul Institute to respond within four weeks.

This gazette notification marks a historic moment, reinforcing the role of Kazi Nazrul Islam as a beacon of cultural identity and resistance for the nation.