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BSS-34
PRESIDENT-PM-RABINDRANATH
President, PM pay tributes to Rabindranath Tagore
DHAKA, May 7, 2020 (BSS) – President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore on the eve of his 159th birth anniversary.
President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said Rabindranath Tagore is the main symbol of spirit and conscience of the Bengali nation.
“He has a unique role in all branches of Bangla literature. He is one of the best music creators of ours. He is also famous as a painter, social thinker and philosopher. Finally he is one of the main designers of the Bengali nationalism,” the President added.
Rabindranath drew attention of the world through winning the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1913 for his poetry ‘Gitanjali’, Hamid said, adding he (Rabindranath) was the first non-European, who won the highest recognition in the world of literature.
Rabindranath becomes more relevant in the current world as the world is now witnessing fundamentalism, class discrimination and conflict between nations and religions, he said.
The President hoped that the young generation will practice ideology of Rabindranath deeply to realize the world.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Rabindranath is the brightest star in world literature. A diversified genius, this time-winning poet has observed the world very profoundly, which has been reflected in his poems, short stories, novels, dramas, essays, travel stories, songs and arts, she added.
The poet of peace and humanity-Rabindranath-was an appreciator of eternal beauty of nature and biodiversity, the Prime Minister said.
She said the works of Rabindranath Tagore inspired all in the anti-British movement and all our democratic movements, including the 24-year long independence movement and the War of Liberation.
His (Rabindranath’s) thought of nationalism is the infinite source of inspiration for the Bengalis, she said, adding that “His poems and songs encouraged the freedom loving Bengalis to fight against the enemies during the War of Liberation in 1971”.
Rabindranath’s works touch our spirit in every crisis, sadness, hope and aspiration, Sheikh Hasina said.
Referring to the poet’s contributions to improving the living standard of the people of Shilaidah, Shahjadpur and Patisar, the Prime Minister said: “We have established Rabindra University at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj aiming at disseminating the memories of Bishwa Kabi among the new generation”.
Mentioning various literary works of the Nobel laureate poet, Sheikh Hasina said the greatest Bengali of all times Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman conceived the poet’s works as a source of inspiration in materializing the dreams of the Bengali nation into reality.
That’s why, she said, the Father of the Nation took his (Rabindranath) immortal poem “Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomai Bhalobasi” as the National Anthem of Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister expressed her firm conviction that the ideals and works of Rabindranath Tagore will always inspire the Bengalis to build an exploitation-free and non-communal Bangladesh.
“In this critical time of the world including Bangladesh, we will be free from the novel coronavirus and we will move forward again,” the Premier said. “For that purpose, I would like to quote some famous lines of poet Rabindranath: ‘Nai Nai Voy, Hobe Hobe Joy’,” she continued.
The 159th birth anniversary of great poet Rabindranath Tagore, the writer of national anthem of the country, is tomorrow. On the 25th of Baishakh in 1268 Bengali year, Rabindranath Tagore, the fountainhead of Bengali wisdom, was born at Jorashako in Kolkata.
BSS/PR/SRH/KU/2000hrs