History

 At the joint venture by Justice A.K.M. Nurul Islam and poet Talim Hossain, the 65th birth anniversary of the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was observed in `Kabitangan’, 11 Rankin Street, Wari, Dhaka, and the residence of Justice A.K.M. Nurul Islam and poet Jahanara Arjoo. The meeting was presided over by the former President of Bangladesh Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury. Here in this meeting the establishment of Nazrul Academy in Dhaka, Bangladesh was first proposed and accepted unanimously by the committee formed on 25th May 1964 in honor of the great Rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The members of the committee was : Abul Kalam Shamsuddinn(Chairman), Talim Hossain(General Secretary), A.K.M. Nurul Islam(Treasurer), Ibrahin Kha, Khan Mohammad Moinuddin, Sufia Kamal, Shirajuddin Hossain, Kazi Abul Kashem, Mohammed Mahfuzullah, Jahanara Arjoo, Mafruha Chowdhury. The committee was patronized by the eminent poets, literature, Intelligentsias, journalists, singers, researchers, cabinet ministers of the then central and provincial government of Pakistan, honorable justices of the High court and Supreme Court. Towards the organization of Nazrul Academy., the most famous journalist of the country the late Abul Kalam Shamsuddin put his welcome address in his esteemed editorial of his News paper Jehad (now defunct). In his editorial he wrote, ‘Due to the establishment of Nazrul Academy, research of Nazrul’s literary works, its collection and preservation, its wide publicity and spread of ideals would now be ensured. Nazrul Academy had already been established in Karachi, while it were heard of the existence of Nazrul-Iqbal Academy in Dhaka but later on, in fact, no activities of the organization was found. However, no doubt, this time the initiate as taken by the Nazrul Academy committee would be succeeded.’ Nazrul Academy, on 9th October 1967 and on 25th October 1967 was registered under the Social Welfare Act respectively. And with this end in view on the observance of 69th birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam at the auditorium of the Dhaka Engineers Institute, poet Talim Hossain being the general secretary declared Nazrul Academy open ceremonially in presence of the eminent personalities of the country on 25 may 1968. On this occasion a brochure was published. Among all well-wishers, those who sent messages of felicitations were the then President of Pakistan Field Marshall Ayub Khan, the speaker of the National Assembly Abdul Jabbar Khan, the central communication minister Khan A Sabur, the then speaker of the Provincial Assembly of East Pakistan Abdul Hamid Chowdhury, the speaker of the Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan Mohammad Anwar, the former Vice Chancellor of the Dhaka University Dr. Jahmud Hossain (Jaheed Milli of Karachi), the savant of Bengali literature and eminent educationist Dr. Muhammad Shidullah, former Vice Chancellor of the Dhaka University Muhammad Osman Gani, the famous Urdu poet Hafeez Jalandhary, the eminent artist Abdur Rahman Chughtai. Among all those who commented in the visitor’s book of Nazrul Academy were worth mentioning; Central Education Minister Kazi Anwarul Huq, the Director of the U.S.I.S Ray papers, the famous lyricist of Pakistan, winner of Lenin Peace Prize poet Faiez Ahmad Faiez, Nazrul’s companion and eminent politician of anti British movement comrade Muzzaffar Ahmad, Nazrul’s trainee, the eminent Indian vocal artists and singers Sreemoti angurbala Debi, Sidheswar Mukhopadhaya, Dhirendra Chandra Mitra, the director of Editorial study Center thomson Foundation, U.K, D.G.H. Raulandce and Merry E. Raulandce the High Commissioner of Malaysia, the eminent Indian researcher of Nazrul Azharuddin Khan and Dr. Sisir Kar, the deputy minister of cultural Affairs of Bangladesh Mrs. Selima Rahman, the sons of the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Sabyasachi, Kazi Anirudha, poet’s daughter in law Uma Kazi, Dr. Kallyani Kazi, Grand daughters of the poet Mishti Kazi, and Khilkhil Kazi, Grand sons Babul Kazi and Subarna Kazi, and Kazi Mazharul Huq, the son of poet’s brother Kazi Ali Hossain. After the independence of Bangladesh through liberation war the father of the nation the then Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent massage of felicitation on the 73rd Birthday anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam on 24th May 1972.

Thereafter former President of Bangladesh Justice A.M. Sayem, Saheed President Ziaur Rahman, the speaker of the National Assembly Mirza Golam Hafiz, Nazrul’s friend Kazi Motahar Hossain, the editor of the `Saugat’ Muhammad Nasiruddin, President H.M. Ershad, and many other ministers, members of the Parliament. eminent poets, literature, vocal artists on Nazrul, artists of classical music, researchers, journalists, intelligentsias of this sub-continent come to visit Nazrul Academy and felicitated. It is a matter of pride that the Bangali speaking people living in many other countries of the world used often go felicitate for the establishment of Nazrul Academy in letters and over telephones. Since the establishment of Nazrul Academy, a research-oriented ‘Nazrul Academy Patrika’ was published in which the eminent writers contributed their research oriented articles and memoirs on Nazrul And enriched it. Besides notations on Nazrul songs, Nazrul’s hand written manuscript, gramophone records on Nazrul’s song by the different vocal artists, rare pictures and poetical works of Nazrul were collected and preserved and published as `The collected works of Nazrul in which many writers contributed their articles who were directly associated with Nazrul. On the occasion of Nazrul’s birth and death anniversary Nazrul Academy used to publish a special issue of colorful souvenir, special supplement, pictorial journal containing news of Nazrul Academy. Since this Academy published 36 journals, 7 books, 10 notation books, Nazrul Academy diary(First of its kind published in the sub-continent, made cassettes of unused Nazrul’s songs, Nazrul poster, T-shirt embodying Nazrul etc. In Remembrance of Nazrul’s boyhood, Nazrul Academy was the first organization that, Along with the eminent personalities and artists, performed a cultural function in 1968 in honor of our national poet at Trisal, Darirampur and at a remote village of Kazir Simla (where Nazrul came, resided and stydied in school for sometimes). Nowadays this sort of performance had been continuing under the patronization of the government. During the liberation war artists of Nazrul Academy entertained four hostoric Nazrul songs in 45rpm gramophone records : 1. Karaf oi louho kabat.... 2. Shikol pora chhol moder.... 3. Durgomo giri kantar moru.... 4. Chol chol chol.... broadcast regularly from the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra to inspire the liberation warriors in 1971. Nazrul Academy is the architect of establishing the Nazrul Institute at Dhanmondi in Dhaka publicly. Nazrul Academy was the first organization that convened Nazrul Conference all over Bangladesh in 1980. In its continuation the different organization are performing Nazrul conference nowadays. Nazrul Academy also pre-ceded to establish first `Open Nazrul Platform’ to facilitate and ensure all cultural organizational to perform their cultural movement of performances of functions openly. As a result, discussants, reciting artists, and vocal artists have their place to perform widely. Nazrul Academy was the first organization that travelled India along with its own artists and not3ed singers and performers and proved its worth and merit participating different music conferences there. Later on in its continuation Indian and Bangladeshi artists reciprocally participate the Music conference each other’s country almost in each year as to have cultural cohesiveness and bond of friendship between the two countries. On 24th May in 1972 Bangobandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation arranged to bring poet Kazi Nazrul Islam along with his family in Bangladesh permanently. Since in Dhanmondi Kabi Bhawan huge people i=of all sections used to come to see the poet at a glance and pay homage to him. After the demise of the poet on 29th August 1976, the then Chief Martial Law Administrator of Bangladesh, Freedom fighter, Commander of `Z’ force under sector no. 9 of the liberation war of Bangladesh, General Ziaur Rahman laid the coffin of the poet under the grave at the courtyard of the mosque of the Dhaka University premises among millions of people and declared him (Nazrul) as the National poet of Bangladesh. Since poet’s arrival in Bangladesh and people’s overwhelming love and respect for the poet. Nazrul Academy has been continuing to open its branch in each district of Bangladesh. This process is ongoing. Meanwhile Nazrul Academy declared in principle that it would soon build a multistoried building at its office Headquarter at Belalabad, Moghbazar in Dhaka for establishing a Nazrul University of performing Arts of which the initial work has already been started. There are three sections namely (1) Music Section, (2) School section for general students, and (3) Fine Arts School running at Nazrul Academy performing its functions with good reputation since the beginning. Here 32 teachers and 8 staff against over three hundred students run these sections. On completion of its aims and ideals Nazrul Academy has been contributing towards the spread of country’s folk culture and paying homage to the eminent cultural personalities of Bangladesh. In each year Nazrul Academy confer two awards along with cash money to the outstanding contributors for awards along with cash money to the outstanding contributors for research on music and literature. In acknowledging the contributors in the field of different cultural developments, journalist, intelligentsia, theater artist, reciting artist, vocal artist of Nazrul and Nazrul organizer is awarded honorary crest and cordial reception to the accomplished personality. Beside that in association with the vocal artists, musicians, dancers reciting artists, artists of Nazrul songs Nazrul Academy arranges Nazrul Conference each rear, In order to fill in the vacancy of artists Nazrul Academy has ventured ‘Young and Promising Nazrul Artist Project’ where many young and meritorious artists could avail of the opportunity to give vent their genius and support filling in the vacuum of meritorious artists. Beside this there is a colossal exchange of musical relations between the artists to evaluate their respective merits. Since its inception the following person consecutively being the president and General Secretary has been performing respectively the duty and responsibility of Nazrul Academy, Dhaka: President – Abul Kalam Samsuddin, Justice Abdul Maudud, Kazi Anwarul Huq, Mohammad Nasiruddin, Poet Talim Hossain, Lutfar Rahman Sarkar, Khondokar Shahadat Hossain, Dr. Ahraf siddique, and General Secretary – Poet Talim Hossain, Khondokar Shahadat Hossain, Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Mintu Rahman. Since the establishment of Nazrul Academy along with the above noted committee and the officials the best performance accorded to poet Talim Hossain till death and in appreciation of his performance as well being accomplished one and as such he was honored as the `Pioneer of Nazrul culture and Researcher’ on 25th October 1996 at 5 pm in Nazrul Academy and the committee declared him as the pioneer to the establishment of Nazrul Academy while the meeting was presided over by Mr. Lutfar Rahman Sarkar. The meeting was ornamented by the presence of the eminent Nazrul researcher of West Bengal, India and the patron of churulia Nazrul Academy Sree Kalpotoru Sengupta being the chief guest. Poet Talim Hossain could not attend the meeting due to his illness the then joint secretary Mintu Rahman associated with other members of the executive committee went to the residence of the poet and made over the honored crest and flowers of felicitation to the poet at his west Malibag residence.