Bangladesh celebrates Tagore's birthday

Bangladesh celebrated the 145th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore today.

Bangladesh today celebrated the 145th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore with the country's leaders remembering his contribution to the Bengali language.

HT Image

"Rabindranath Tagore is an immortal personality not only in Bengali literature but in world literature," Bangladeshi President Iajudin Ahmed said in a statement.

"Happiness, enjoyment, sorrow and every aspect of feelings of human life were eloquent in the writings of poet Tagore which also reflected fraternity and humanity," he said.

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in her message said the national anthems of India and Bangladesh are taken from Tagore's compositions, which is rare in the world's history.

Bangladesh's national anthem - Amar Shonar Bangla Ami Tomai Bhalobashi - is written by Tagore.

"Tagore's literary works create tolerance of others opinion, fraternity, neutrality and obsession of love among us and has been guiding us in flourishing our knowledge," Zia said.

Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore's poems, novels, short stories, dramas, articles, essays, paintings and especially his songs "Rabindra Sangeet" have an eternal appeal to Bengalis.

To mark the occasion, the government and different socio-cultural organisations have lined up elaborate programmes.

The Cultural Affairs Ministry has drawn up a three-day national programme that includes a book fair, a cultural show and discussions on Tagore's life and literary works.

Newspapers published special articles while radio and TV channels are airing special programmes.