Two-day Nazrul Festival to enthral Dhaka

The eagerly anticipated Nazrul Festival 2024 is all set to kick off on March 8 and 9 at Gulshan Society Lake Park, Dhaka. Organised jointly by Bangladesh Nazrul Sangeet Sangstha, Gulshan Society, and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, this two-day cultural celebration promises to be a vibrant showcase of the works of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Social Welfare Minister Dipu Moni, will inaugurate the festival, marking its third consecutive year. Highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Bangladesh, the festival will feature performances of Nazrul songs, recitations, and dances by renowned artistes and exponents of Nazrul's work.

Eminent personalities such as Khairul Anam Shakil, Yasmin Mushtari, Nashid Kamal, and Ferdous Ara will grace the stage alongside Indian artistes including Sreeradha Banerjee, Payel Kar, Debarati Chakraborty, Manomay Bhattacharya, Raghab Chatterjee, and Tushar Dutta. The festival aims to promote Nazrul's ideals of humanism and secularism, ensuring that his legacy reaches the masses.

Speaking about the event, convenor Khairul Anam Shakil emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting Nazrul's works in their authentic form. "The festival aims to instil Nazrul's values in the younger generation and foster a deeper appreciation for his contributions to literature and music," he added.

"The current cultural and political moment makes it imperative that we ensure that the entire body of work of our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam reaches the general public as widely as possible in authentic, pristine form," said Shakil. 

"Each year, the Nazrul Festival will introduce the public to an ongoing long-term project we have undertaken to preserve and promote the works of Nazrul. The broad goal of this festival is to infuse in our new generation our beloved poet's ideals, in particular his humanist, secular values", he conveyed.

Shanta Holdings, as the title sponsor, expressed its commitment to supporting cultural endeavours and preserving Nazrul's literary legacy. Other sponsors, including Bengal Foundation, City Bank, Coca-Cola, Eastern Bank, and Novoair, have also pledged their support for the festival.

In addition to live performances, the festival will make 125 Nazrul songs available for free on YouTube, recorded with professional musical accompaniment. These recordings, featuring artistes from Bangladesh, West Bengal, North America, and Australia, aim to further propagate Nazrul's timeless music to a global audience.

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The Nazrul Festival 2024 promises to be a celebration of culture, heritage, and the enduring legacy of Kazi Nazrul Islam, uniting artistes and audiences in homage to the iconic poet and musician.