President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday paid rich tributes to Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore in separate messages on the eve of 161th birth anniversary of the great poet.
President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said Rabindranath is a genius in Bengali literature.
He has brought Bengali literature to the world stage, the head of the state said, adding that Rabindranath is a poet, novelist, storyteller, lyricist and essayist.
“There is no branch of literature which he had not touched,” he said, adding that Rabindranath had
praised the humanity through his literature.
The development of humanity and liberation was the main aspect of his sense of life, Hamid continued.
Terming Rabindranath as the nectar of Bengali, he said Rabindranath's song is the national anthem of Bangladesh.
“Rabindranath was our inspiration in the development of Bengali culture, the rise of Bengali nationalism and the rise of independent and sovereign Bangladesh,” he added.
His songs, literature and work ethic have always inspired the people of Bangladesh, the President said.
“In contrast to Pakistani culture, Rabindrasahitya was our mainstay. In his last life, in his creation 'Sobbhotar Songkot', Rabindranath expected the arrival of a great man from the East who would be the forerunner of all crises. He is none other than Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself,” he added.
Rabindranath's thought was one of the great ideologies with which Bangladesh became independent, he said, adding that because of that Bangabandhu chose Rabindranath's song as the national anthem.
“He will be our inspiration in the development of the national culture of Bangladesh and in the overall spirit of liberation as a nation,” he continued.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Rabindranath Tagore is the main symbol of spirit and conscience of the Bengali nation.
“He has a unique role in all branches of Bangla literature. He is one of the best music creators of ours. He is also famous as a painter, social thinker and philosopher. Finally, he is one of the main designers of the Bengali nationalism,” the premier added.
Rabindranath drew attention of the world through winning the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1913 for his poetry 'Gitanjali', she said, adding that he (Rabindranath) was the first Asian (or non-European), who won the highest recognition in the world of literature.
Rabindranath becomes more relevant in the current world as the world is now witnessing fundamentalism and class discrimination, she said.
Sheikh Hasina hoped that the life style of the world poet Rabindranath and his creations will forever inspire the Bengalis in building a non-communal Bangladesh free from exploitation and deprivation.
The 161th birth anniversary of great poet Rabindranath Tagore, the writer of national anthem of the country, is today.
On the 25th of Baishakh in 1268 Bengali year, Rabindranath Tagore, the fountainhead of Bengali wisdom, was born at Jorashako in Kolkata.