Like previous years, Channel i is gearing up to hold a festive Nazrul Mela at its premises in Tejgaon in the capital on May 25, marking the 117th birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. 

This year, organisers will confer lifetime achievement award to veteran Nazrul Sangeet singer Ustad Julhash Uddin Ahmed. 

A press conference was held on Saturday in this regard at the Channel i office, where noted Nazrul Sangeet singer Ferdous Ara (chief advisor of Nazrul Mela), managing director of Channel i Faridur Reza Sagar, and Chowdhury Monjur Liaquat, Executive Vice President of this year's Rabindra Mela sponsor AB Bank, were present.

The fair will be inaugurated by noted artists, litterateurs, Nazrul enthusiasts, cultural and media personalities with the channel i family, at 4pm. It will feature performances of Nazrul Sangeet by prominent and upcoming singers, recitation of Nazrul's poems, reading from Nazrul's works and paintings on him. Some 20 stalls will also be at the fair, which will display books by Nazrul, books written on Nazrul, Records of Nazrul's songs, stall of movies based on Nazrul's work and many more. Channel i will telecast the fair live.