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HASAN-WRITERS CLUB
Poetry instills sense of patriotism, human values: Hasan
DHAKA, Dec 31, 2019 (BSS)- As poetry can heal the wounds of human psyche, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said poetry could play a pivotal role in instilling a sense of patriotism and human values into the mindset of people to make them worthy for an enlightened society.
“Human beings are becoming self-centric . . . poetry teach the people to become humanly,” he said while inaugurating a week-long programme marking the International Writers’ Day here.
Bangladesh Writers’ Club (BWC) organized the programme in front of the Central Shaheed Minar with BWC President eminent poet Nurul Huda in the chair.
Hasan said an unstable situation is prevailing across the globe now. “Human beings are becoming self-centric and dependent on machines leading to social degradation,” he added.
The minister said, “Moral values and patriotism should be instilled into the mindset of all to save the society. And a good poetry could play a vital role in maintaining peace in the society as well as protecting the humanity.”
“Poetry could play a vital role in exploring the intellect and conscience side by side with building the state, the nation and the society,” said Hasan, also joint general secretary of Awami League.
He said the landscape of the flow of media has been changed during the last couple of years. Now people can reach their messages to millions of people within a moment through social media.
Hasan said, “We should build a developed nation besides developing the country. There are many countries in the world which are developed states. But many of them are not developed nations as they lack many things. So, we want a developed nation. We need to stay away from being self-centered.”
He said poetry is a strong media and it has a power to do well. The government is working sincerely to promote practice of native culture in the country, he added.
The minister strongly advocated for expanding the wings of cultural activities to offset possible havoc these menaces can wreck.
“…I strongly believe that poetry can play an important role in protecting our human values, social values and family values,” he said.
Hasan said the present government is working to build a poverty- and corruption-free Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Highlighting the country’s development and progress, he said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a dream to build Bangladesh as a prosperous nation.
“Bangladesh is now moving fast, through development process, towards fulfilling the dream of Bangabandhu under the leadership of her daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the minister said.
Hasan said although Bangladesh is one of the densely populated countries in the world; it is now a food surplus country.
He hoped that the country would become a developed nation and achieve its target by 2041.
Poet Kazi Rozi, BWC General Secretary Farid Ahmed Dulal, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote General Secretary Arun Sarker Rana, poets Shampa Das from India, Nahida Ashrafi, Nasrin Islam, Shohagh Siddiqui and Jharna Rahman, among others, were present in the programme.
Poet Shah Mohammad Sanaul Haque read out the Dhaka Declaration.
Later, Hasan formally inaugurated the week-long programme.
BSS/Asg/PSB/KU/1921 HRS