Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 351 Wed. May 25, 2005  
   
Culture


106 th Birth Anniversary of National Poet
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam, our National Poet is rightfully an icon of the masses for his revolutionary ideas, secular philosophies and defiance against any socio-political injustice. Where does Nazrul stand now in our culture and in our lives?

The daily Star recently organised a discussion session with six popular Nazrul artistes to evaluate various aspects relating to this issue. Moderated by Syed Fahim Munaim, Managing Editor of The Daily Star , the session included Sadya Afreen Mallick, In Charge, Culture Desk, Fayza Haq, Senior Feature Writer and Cultural Correspondents Novera Deepita, Afsar Ahmed and Karim Waheed.

Here is what the artistes have to say on the position of Nazrul in today's Bangladesh and what our efforts should be to uphold the pride of our nation -- Nazrul.


Bulbuli, My Songbird

Bulbuli, my songbird, is tired
and has fallen asleep --
the evening's flowers, dropped off from their stems,
gaze with mournful eyes.

Flowers blossomed to its singing
until it was silenced by some hunter's arrow;
in the forest's lap the Evening-queen
wails with disheveled hair.

Translated by Sajed Kamal

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