Today, 22 Shraban, marks the 84th death anniversary of the world-renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore. On this day in 1348 Bangabda (August 7, 1941), the great pioneer of Bengali literature passed away at the Tagore family home in Jorasanko, Kolkata.
To commemorate the occasion, various cultural programmes and tributes are being held across the country. Both government and private organisations are hosting discussion forums, musical performances, recitations, and remembrance events in honour of Tagore.
A tribute ceremony will take place at 7:00 pm on Wednesday at the Chhayanaut Auditorium in Dhaka. Additionally, a seminar and cultural programme will be held at 4:00 pm on Thursday at the Kabi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room of the Bangla Academy.
Special programmes highlighting Tagore’s life and literary contributions are also being aired on various television channels, including Bangladesh Television.
Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861 (25 Baishakh 1268 Bangabda) into the illustrious Tagore family of Jorasanko, Kolkata. The youngest of 14 children born to Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi, he went on to leave an indelible mark on Bengali literature and culture.
Tagore’s influence spans almost every genre — poetry, songs, novels, short stories, plays and essays. He composed around 2,000 songs, now collectively known as Rabindra Sangeet — a genre uniquely his own.
Over a literary career that spanned nearly seven decades, he wrote eight novels, 84 short stories and countless poems, plays and essays — earning him an unmatched legacy in Bengali literature.
In 1921, he founded Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan to promote a broader vision of education. In 1913, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection Gitanjali, becoming the first non-European to receive the honour. His win brought global recognition to Bengali literature.
Remarkably, Tagore is the only individual to have written the national anthems of two countries: ‘Amar Shonar Bangla’ of Bangladesh and ‘Jana Gana Mana’ of India.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, his songs served as a powerful source of inspiration and courage. To this day, Rabindranath Tagore remains a guiding light in the hearts of Bengalis — an enduring symbol of respect, love and cultural identity.