Dhaka: Bangla Academy will observe the 158th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on Wednesday.

It will organise an event featuring keynote speech, Rabindra Award 2019 ceremony and cultural programme at its Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad auditorium, the UNB reported.

Rabindra researcher Professor Begum Akter Kamal and Professor Shafiuddin Ahmed; and Rabindra Sangeet singer Iqbal Ahmed will be bestowed with ‘Rabindra Puroshkar 2019’.

The academy announced the names in a press release on Monday.

The awards will be handed over at Wednesday’s event.

Professor Begum and Professor Shafiuddin will be awarded for their contribution to research on Tagore’s literature while Iqbal will be awarded for contribution to the practice of Tagore songs.

Bangla Academy President Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman and Director General Habibullah Siraji will hand over flowers, certificates, crests and prize money.

At Wednesday’s event, Professor Anawarul Karim will deliver the keynote speech ‘Rabindranath’s Bangladesh: His thoughts on Education and Country’.

The programme will be presided over by Professor Anisuzzaman while the DG will deliver the welcome speech. It will end with a colourful cultural presentation on Rabindranath’s works.