Ahmad Rafique’s 90th Birthday celebrated

Renowned cultural activist, language movement veteran, Tagore exponent, poet, essayist and columnist Ahmad Rafique is celebrated for his brilliant research and literary works. His first book of poetry is Nirbasita Nayak (1966) and prose work is Shilpa Sangskriti Jiban (1958). One of his famous research works is Deshbibhag: Phire Dekha.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday on today, Anyaprokash and Anindya Prakash jointly organised a celebration programme at Kabi Sufia Kamal auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor attended the event s chief guest while National Professor Rafiqul Islam presided over the programme. Renowned thespian Ramendu Majumdar, eminent folklorist and director general of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan, Vice-chancellor of Rabindra University Professor Bishwajit Ghosh, Poet Tarik Sujat and Anyaprokash proprietor Mazharul Islam delivered welcome addresses highlighting the life and works of Ahmad Rafique at the event.

Poet Munir Siraj read out the written ovation speech speaking highly of the veteran personality. Afzal Hossain of Anindya Prakash presented bouquets to Ahmad Rafique and the guests. Poets, litterateurs, artists, filmmakers and cultural personalities greeted Ahmad Rafique with bouquets. The organisers presented a portrait drawn by artist Mashuk Helal to Ahmad Rafique at the programme.

Earlier several singers offered three choral Tagore songs –“Anandalok-e”, “Joy Tobo Bichitra Ananda” and “Pran Bhoriye Trisha Horiya” to welcome all at the event.

Ahmad Rafique, who studied medicine, has written more than 20 books on Tagore. Besides, he has written books on Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jibanananda Das, Bishnu Dey, partition of 1947, Language Movement and Liberation War. He received Ekushey Padak in 1995. Tagore Research Institute, Kolkata conferred on him the title of Rabindratattacharya.