Dhaka: President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday paid tributes to the memory of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on the occasion of his 116th anniversary of birth.

In separate messages on the eve of the day, they prayed for the eternal peace of his departed soul and wished success of all programmes marking his birth anniversary. The President said in his message that Nazrul Islam, the poet of equality and humanity, is a glowing star in the history of Bangla literature.

His colourful life and creative works are sources of endless inspiration for all, he added.

His fiery and sharp writings teach all to protest against injustice and work for the exploited and deprived people, he added.

The President recalled that poet Nazrul had upheld the rights of women.

He said Nazrul's literary works are rare not only in Bengali literature but also in world literature. Nazrul's poems and songs had inspired the nation during great Independence War, he added.

‘We got inspirations from his write-ups during every democratic movement, including the anti-British movement, language movement, mass upsurge of 1969 and the Liberation War,’ the President said.

He expressed firm conviction that the new generation would enrich themselves through the practice of Nazrul and make meaningful contributions in building happy and prosperous Sonar Bangla.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Kazi Nazrul Islam was a poet of humanity, equality, and rebellion. ‘Nazrul lives in our heart as a poet. He is the 'bulbul' (nightingale) of modern Bangla songs,’ she said.

Nazrul is not only the rebel poet, he is story writer, novelist, essayist, journalist, editor and translators at the same time, she added.

The Prime Minister said Nazrul was a symbol of non-communalism and nationalism and he was vocal against oppression and exploitation.

His songs and poems had encouraged anti-British movement in the subcontinent and later those had inspired people of Bangladesh during the War of Independence, she added.

She recalled that Bangabandhu had brought the poet to Bangladesh from India and offered him citizenship.

She said the poet had a dream to establish a non-communal, exploitation and peaceful society. ‘We've been working to establish this society,’ she added.