How Nazrul Became Our National Poet

Bangladesh’s architect Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accomplished a great job by bringing poet Kazi Nazrul Islam to Bangladesh from India. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was also bestowed with the title “National Poet” by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Kazi Nazrul Islam loved Bangladesh heart and soul. His existence was deeply embedded at the roots of Bangladesh. Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in Burdwan which is now located in India’s West Bengal. Kazi Nazrul Islam visited Bangladesh over and over again when he was alive to attend conferences, recital programs and musical soirees.  

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placed Kazi Nazrul Islam in his eternal destination Bangladesh. Kazi Nazrul Islam visited different parts of Bangladesh during his youth like Mymensingh, Barishal, Cumilla, Bogura, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Sirajganj, Faridpur, Kushtia etcetera. Kazi Nazrul Islam became associated with Ali Akbar Kan in Cumilla and Kazi Nazrul Islam had a short-lived wedding with Nargis in Cumilla which was one of the greatest tragedies in Kazi Nazrul Islam’s personal life.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman equally loved Rabindranath Tagore and Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman selected Bangladesh’s national anthem from Rabindranath Tagore and our Rono Sangeet (Combat Song) was taken from Kazi Nazrul Islam. Thus Sheikh Mujibur Rahman unleashed a secular legacy in Bangladesh’s cultural arena by combining both Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath in one tune Tagore like an undivided chorus. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came to know that Kazi Nazrul Islam was facing hardship and negligence in West Bengal. That’s why Sheikh Mujibur Rahman shifted Kazi Nazrul Islam from West Bengal to Dhaka spontaneously and made all arrangements for the accommodation of the poet and his family members.

A special flight of Bangladesh Biman carried Kazi Nazrul Islam to Dhaka on 24 May 1972. A huge crowd huddled in Dhaka Tejgaon Airport that day to greet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placed Kazi Nazrul Islam at a residence in Dhanmondi which was named “Kobi Bhaban”. Kazi Nazrul Islam’s pension was raised from 350 taka to 1 thousand taka instantly under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s directives. That “Kobi Bhaban” now accommodates Nazrul Institute where musical classes and research work on Kazi Nazrul Islam are carried out by scholars and cultural luminaries. Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani paid a visit to Kazi Nazrul Islam. Thousands of people gathered around Kobi Bhaban with flowers to show their love for Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Dhaka University conferred D. Lit title upon Kazi Nazrul Islam in 1974. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1976. Kazi Nazrul Islam, the immortal bard of Bengal, breathed his last on 29 August 1976 at the age of 77 years.

KN Ahad writes from Kiev, Ukraine.