CM pays tribute to Kazi Nazrul Islam on his death anniversary

Kolkata: The 44th death anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam was observed across the state on Saturday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Homage to the rebel poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam on his death anniversary."

Mohan Kumar Gupta, coordinator of ward 17 garlanded a statue of the poet on Saturday morning along with Trinamool Congress supporters. Nazrul Tirtha organised a programme where the members of Chayanat, a cultural organisation presented Nazrul songs and recited some poems, on Saturday evening.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opened a centre to carry out research on Nazrul. The centre has a well-knit digital library where one gets a digital version of his books, records and other important documents.

Poet Nazul was an important figure in the cultural world of Bengal. He was a poet, a singer, composer and teacher of music and acted in some Bengali feature films also. He joined World War I and went to Mesopotamia. He was imprisoned for writing against the British.

In 1942, at the age of 43 years, he suffered from an unknown disease later diagnosed by a team of doctors in Vienna as Pick's disease which led to a total loss of memory and voice. He robust health broke and he was sent to the mental observatory at Ranchi. He went to Bangladesh in 1972 and died there in 1976. Along with Shyamasangeet, he had also composed Islami songs which were sung by Abbasuddin.