A special programme titled “Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti 2026” was held at Bangladesh National Museum on Wednesday to celebrate the birth anniversaries of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam.
The event was organised at Bangladesh National Museum by Itihash O Oitijjo Parishad in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi Culture Centre (IGCC) Dhaka, cultural school Tapoban, Nrityanchal and bahumatrik.com, marking the birth anniversaries of the two poets.
Indian acting High Commissioner (AHC) to Bangladesh Pawankumar Badhe has said the two extraordinary poets – Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam – live equally and profoundly in the hearts of the people of both Bangladesh and India.
He said the enduring love and respect shown towards Tagore and Nazrul remain among the strongest symbols of the shared cultural heritage between the two countries.
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury attended the programme as chief guest.
Professor Niranjan Adhikari chaired the discussion session, which featured presentations by Dhaka University Professor Tariq Manzoor and Jahangirnagar University Professor Ahmed Reza.
A major attraction of the evening was “Nrityagiti,” a dance-music tableau directed by renowned artists Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibli Mohammad of Nrityanchal.
The performance presented a creative blend of the musical and philosophical traditions of Tagore and Nazrul through group dances performed to 14 popular songs by the two poets.
The programme also featured an exhibition of portraits of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam painted by more than 100 students from 13 schools in and around Dhaka.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to the participating young artists at the end of the programme.
