Nazrul's anniversary of death observed

Cultural Correspondent

The nation observed on Wednesday the 32nd anniversary of death of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, recalling how his poems and songs enriched Bangla literature and inspired struggles against injustice and misrule.
   The day's programmes began with the placing of flowers at the grave by various socio-cultural, political, and student organisations and individuals.
   Literary enthusiasts and fans gathered at his grave at the Dhaka University mosque in the morning to pay their homage to the poet, popularly known as Bidrohi Kabi or the Rebel Poet.
   Family members of the poet including daughter Uma Kazi, grandaughter Khilkhil Kazi, Dhaka University vice-chancellor SMA Fiaz placed flowers at the grave in the morning.
   After placing wreaths at the grave, Khilkhil Kazi said, 'Nazrul belongs to the people of all communities and classes who love freedom and have faith in humanity.'
   The Nazrul Institute held a discussion and a cultural function, with scholars speaking on Nazrul's literary works and singers rendering Nazrul's songs at the Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh.
   Cultural secreatary Sharful Alam was present as chief guest while Professor Mustafa Nurul Islam and Khilkil Kazi spoke on the occasion with the the Nazrul Institute Trustee Board chairman Professor Rafiqul Islam in the chair.
   The organisation also launched a compact disc featuring the Nazrul's songs sung by Khalid Hossain.
   'It is the main responsibity of the Nazrul Institute to ensure that right technique is followed in rendering his songs,' said the secretary.
   Nazrul teaches us to fight against all sorts of misdeeds through his songs and poetry, he said, adding that the minsitry would set up a museum in Comilla to keep his meory alive.
   The organisation also distributed certificates among the winners in recitation and music competition.
   After the discussion and award-giving ceremony, Khalid Hossain, Shahin Samad, Ferdous Ara, Fatem-tuz Zohra, Khairul Anam Shakil, Yasmin Mustari, Salahuddin Ahmed, Lina Taposi Khan and Khilkil Kazi sang songs while Baswar Bandopadya and Reziwali Lina recited poems.
   The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy arranged a discussion and a musical soiree at its National Music and Dance Auditorium in the evening.
   Abdul Qaiyum, Asadul Haque and Bulbul Mahalanabish took part in the discussion chaired by the academy's director general, Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam.
   The Nazrul Academy and the Bangla Academy also observed the day by staging various programmes.
   Nazrul Sangeet Shilpi Parishad, International Nazrul Study Centre, Udichi, National Library, among scores of organisations and cultural groups, flocked to the red-brick grave of Nazrul to pay rich tributes.
   Born on May 25 in 1899 in a village of Burdwan of India's West Bengal, Nazrul revolutionalised Bangla poetry and lyrics in his stormy two-decade's stay in the literary and cultural arenas before he sank into isolation in early '40's due to an incurable brain disease.
   The post-independence government brought Nazrul and his family to Bangladesh and recognised him as national poet.
   He died on August 29 in 1976, ending three decades of illness. As per Bangla calendar, the day falls on August 27 this year.

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Cultural Correspondent

A six-day photography exhibition on Selim Al-Deen by Barin Ghose ended at the National
   Art Gallery of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on
   Saturday.
   The Dhaka Theatre and BSA jointly organised the show to mark 59th anniversary of birth of the late playwright Selim Al-Deen.
   'This is my 3rd solo show and this time is on a great man,' said Barin. 'I put on display a total of 42 images of Selim Al-Deen at the show,' he said.
   About the photos, Nasir Uddin Yousuff commented that Barin Ghose captured the spirit of Selim Al Deen in its subtle but very realistic mundane ness.
   Within these black-and-white frames, we not only find the silhouette of a larger than life artist but also the rainbow of millions of colours, the colours that have touched and changed the lives of so many, he said.
   Besides, the organisers
   also staged plays, screened
   documentaries on Selim, displayed of mementos and installation arts and seminars on the occasion.
   Selim, who passed away at LabAid Cardiac Hospital in Dhaka on January 14, was a bold, committed and power-
   ful playwright with a highly
   individual approach, both in theme and style, in the contemporary Bangla play. Both the programmes ended on Saturday.

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Stair after Stair

Samsur Rahman

Ascending up through the stairs,
   I reach to an optimum height.
   I search the rooms intensively
   By midday or midnight.
   
   Vampires and lizards have been
   Ransacking the whole household.
   Keeping an wistful eye on every step and every niche,
   I find only emptiness playing all over the entire day.
   Suddenly I marked with wonder why does the lonely charal1
   Leaving the cremation duty, stand here in the dark?
   His half-grey beard, soaked with Tari2
   And his eyes a mini sky of twilight.
   But where is he? He is not now anywhere
   Saturated in a moment in the air.
   
   Do I search a golden lamp in this lamp-less
   Old mansion? No, not at all,
   It's not like that. Free pigeons at leisure
   Relax in each nook and corner, startled
   With the notes of a flute. Broken stairs of white stone
   Have gone deep under water. Through the steps
   I get down and get up at the next moment,
   Repeating this once and again.
   No human being is in view far or near,
   Even myself seems to me as nobody
   Of human race.
   I am fully absorbed in search. Who could tell me
   What I look for round the clock like a blind man?
   As I step up and down through the stairs, I wonder
   Where might these inmates have gone
   Leaving everything dark and empty?
   I try to guess from everything around me
   As if I were a myth figure in eternal captivity,
   A dead eagle under the feet; tearing random
   My own muscles even the throat with the nail.
   
   1. Member of Schedule cast Hindu, responsible for cremating corpses;
   2. Hand made wine from date juice.
   
   Translated by M. A. Taker.

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There's nothing called the sky

Tarek Mahmud

There's nothing called the sky
   only a void
   illusory like you
   As you are illusory
   all tangible objects have fled
   There's nothing called the sky
   only infinite void
   You may venture out farther
    and farther away
   only blue and blue ...
   the patches of clouds you see sailing by
   not clouds these are
   but the sighs of a nightmare.
   
   If the sky were there
   someone would surely have touched it
   Could anyone ever touch the sky
   
   The other name of the sky is void
   Does void have any dimension
   In the womb of void reside deep sighs
   Therefore sky means void
   The patches of clouds are the harvest
    of the deep sighs of the void-
    our eyes fail to perceive
   
   Once upon a time there had been a sky
   What a great symbol of vastness it was
   There's no sky today
   One might asks, was there ever any sky?
   
   There's nothing called sky, good fellow,
   only the faded face of the lady-love
   the shadowy twilight
   the pre-monsoon drought
   the tense sun-blazed afternoon
   and a little hollow love
   Anything more?
   Nothing more.
   there's nothing called the sky
   only a void.
   
   Translated by
   Zakeria Shirazi

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Covers of two books unveiled, Telefilm Bishad Sindhu premiered

Cultural Correspondent

The Grameen Bank is becoming an icon for microcredit, low-income households, women's access to credit etc. And so are the articles, case studies, and other material on GB.
   Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the founder and director of Grameen Bank, is a founding and current board member of Grameen Foundation.
   Thousands of miles away from the original Grameen Bank, the American version will function much like its Bangladeshi counterpart: loaning to groups of women rather than individuals.
   Covers of two books styled Yunusism and The Revolution, written by Bangladeshi expatriate in USA young poet Rashidul Bari, were unveiled at a publication ceremony at a city hotel.
   The book Yunusism was written on the life, works and contributions of Nobel laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus and Revolution is a collection of poems.
   Former Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Emajuddin Ahmed and eminent poet of the country Al Mahmud unveiled the books.
   SPoet Al Mahmud said the environment of the planet is not human friendly whereas the poet shows the people dreams to get rid of poverty and rudeness by inspiring them with his poems.
   Former Dhaka University VC, Prof Emajuddin said our next generation should be inspired by love for the country and its people for prosperity of the country.
   He also said proper initiatives to utilise the country's natural assets and its implementation were needed for the reduction of poverty in the country.
   Lauding Nobel Laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus, he said it was a great achievement for us that Bangladeshi national Yunus had won the Nobel Prize. So far only 28 countries' could achieve the Noble Prize, he added.
   The author Rashidul Bari made the welcome speech, while Dr Rasheda Ranak Khan, teacher of Anthropology Department, Jahangirnagar University conducted the function.
   Muhammad Mahmudur Rahman, Director, Jatiya Grantho Kendra, AUM Fakhruddin, Associate Editor, Weekly Holiday, Film Director MMR Gulzar and Madhab Chandra Das, publisher, Trayee Publication also addressed the function.
   Telefilm Bishad Sindhur Bookay Rokto Golap was premiered by AUM Fakhruddin, Associate Editor, Weekly Holiday,

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Archaeological heritage of Bangladesh

Reviewed by Robab Rosan

Asiatic Society of Bangladesh has recently completed a cultural survey of Bangladesh. The survey comprising twelve volumes is available in Bangla while nine of these volumes have been translated into English.
   The volumes discuss different branches of art and culture of Bangladesh. Subjects of the volumes cover archaeology, architecture, state and culture, cultural history of the country, ethnic groups, language and literature, folk culture, fine arts and crafts, folk music, and other topics. Each of the volumes can be purchased individually between Taka 500 and Taka 1000.
   The first volume of cultural survey of Bangladesh is on the country's archaeological heritage. The chapters of the book talk about 'archaeological heritage', 'land and people: change in environmental condition', 'human settlement', 'tools and arms', 'beads, armlets and pendants', 'coins and currency system', 'pottery', 'inscriptions, seals and sealing', 'transport and communication', and 'entertainments'.
   The volumes also include 'costumes, ornaments and cosmetics', 'architecture', 'sculpture', 'terracotta art', 'handicrafts', 'paintings', 'urbanisation,' 'artefacts miscellaneous' and 'conservation of artefacts'.
   The writers have written on the archaeological heritage dated back to prehistoric age. They have also discussed the country's cultural legacy in eras, including pre-medieval, medieval, and colonial periods.
   Professor Sirajul Islam, president of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh and also chief editor of cultural survey of Bangladesh series hoped, 'These volumes will help the researchers both in and outside the country.'
   The books have been published both in Bangla and English so that readers in and outside the country can know about the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. 'We should practise emphasising Bangla as a medium of expression in continuing research works. We can adopt English for spreading our knowledge to the other nations,' Islam said.
   Professor Islam further said that they had worked for four years and spent about Taka three crore. 'More money is need to carry out the research works effectively that would uphold the country's rich cultural heritage,' he said.
   These research works will help the next generation to know about their own culture, history and heritage.
   The book, priced at Taka 1,000, is available at the sales centre of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh in city's Nimtali area.

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