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BARISHAL, Aug 25, 2025 (BSS) - The 49th death anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will be observed here in a befitting manner through various programmes.
Barisal District Shilpakala Academy, Barisal University and various organizations have taken various programmes including discussions and cultural functions to mark the day.
During the British rule, Barishal was culturally rich. At that time, Nazrul's rebellious poems and songs spread among the revolutionary and literary arenas in the district.
Many writers, organizers and teachers of Barishal used to practice Nazrul's songs and poems which inspired the anti-British movement.
According to history, the poet came to Barishal in October 1920, not merely in search of unbridled beauty of nature in this land , but for political and journalistic reasons at the invitation of Haque Saheb's nephew Yusuf Ali, along with Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Haque, the celebrated son of Barishal.
He stayed at the house of a Christian woman. Barishal covers an important place in his novel 'Mrityukhudha' (The Hunger of Death ) .
He depicted a realistic picture of how the engulfing effect of hunger gradually pushes people towards death, even upsetting their cherished religion, beliefs and mentality in the novel 'Mrityukhudha'.
Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam stayed in Barishal for only two days. During these two days, two special features of Barishal that moved him were Barishal surrounded by canals, which can be resembled with the city of Venice in Italy. The other was that Barishal was a hub of Christian missionary activity.
In Kazi Nazrul Islam's immortal novel 'Mrityukhudha', it is said that national poet Nazrul called Barishal district the 'Venice of Bengal'.
Poet Nazrul did not forget to mention the brick-paved roads and the trees growing on the banks of the Kirtankhola River that flowed next to the city during the British era in the immortal novel 'Mrityukhudha'.
In this context, Assistant Professor (Head) of the Department of Bengali, Barishal University, Unmesh Roy told BSS, 'Kazi Nazrul Islam's contribution to the creation of the identity of Bengalis as a distinct ethnic entity is one of the most important.
“Starting from the anti-British movement to the great independence struggle of Bangladesh in 1971 and even the mass Uprising of 2024, Kazi Nazrul Islam's brilliant poetry, songs and literature have immensely inspired us,” he said.
Unmesh Roy said poet Kazi Nazrul Islam had a dream of creating a new society based on equality for all Bengalis, irrespective of religion by ending the deprivation of the oppressed people.
