The more Rabindranath's writings are read, the more he perceives them anew: Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque
Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, president of Bangla Academy, mentioned that the more one reads the writings of Rabindranath Tagore, the more he perceives them in a new way. He said, Rabindranath is a timeless writer, whose works come back to the reader with new meaning and new understanding over time. There is no end to reading Rabindranath; He is discovered anew with every reading.
Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque addressed the seminar organized on the occasion of the 165th birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore. This seminar was organized by Bangla Academy on Monday afternoon at Abdul Karim Sahithabisharad auditorium of the academy. In this, the Rabindra Award 2026 winners were awarded.
Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque said, Rabindranath's specialty becomes clear even if compared with the world's best writers. His literature is not only a sense of beauty, but also a deep love for people and an eternal passion for life.
Prof. Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque of Bengal mentioned that Rabindranath's unlimited compassion towards people and the world has worked throughout his literature. He said, this human love is the central strength of Rabindra Chetna.
Bringing up the topic of Rabindra Sangeet, the president of Bangla Academy said that the appeal of Rabindra Sangeet has increased with time. He also spoke about the importance of reading books in his speech. Professor Abul Qasem Fazlul Haque said that although people's interest in books has decreased due to the spread of technology, there is no substitute for books to bring profound changes in society and people's thinking. The reader should find good books and read carefully.
Fiction writer Prashant Mridha read an essay on 'Rabindranath's fiction' at the event. He said that Rabindranath's real power was captured in the short stories written between 1891 and 1895. During this time he stayed in Shilaidah, Shahjadpur and Patisar for the supervision of zamindari. Direct contact with the river, nature and the life of rural people changed his literary thinking. He began to see with new eyes the happiness and sorrows, deprivations and complexities of relationships of the common people of Bengal outside the Kolkata-centered elite life.
Prashant Mridha said, 'Postmaster', 'Kabuliwala', 'Khokababu's return', 'Denapaona', 'Shasti', 'Bivit and Dead' - one story after another, human pain and social reality emerge. Especially the position of women, poverty, loneliness and pressure of colonial society get new dimension in his stories.
Rabindranath didn't just tell stories; Pointing out that he has entered the human psyche, Prashant Mridha says that in his stories inner feelings become more important than external events. That is why Bengali short stories get a taste of modernity in his hands.
Prashant Mridha said, Rabindranath himself once wrote, novels are not only for telling stories; Also for uncovering the complex truths within people. In his novels, therefore, the depth of thought is given special importance in addition to the story.
Prashant Mridha points out that 'language' is another important aspect in Rabindranath's fiction. He said, in each story he used different prose style. Sometimes soft like poetry, sometimes sharp and short, sometimes full of philosophical thoughts. This variety sets a new benchmark in the evolution of Bengali prose.
Prashant Mridha said, the need to re-read Rabindranath is not over yet. Because his stories and novels create new meaning every time, raise new questions and teach the reader to think in a new way.
In the discussion, fiction writer Nasima Anis said, if Rabindranath is seen only as a poet, his literary scope is underestimated. The extraordinary talent he showed by writing the story 'Bhikharini' and the novel 'Karuna' at the age of 16, later deepened in his experiences in Shilaidah, Patisar and Shahjadpur. He said, Rabindranath built Bengali language and prose with his own strength.
Another panelist fiction writer and essayist Rayhan Rain said, colonial rule, nationalism, religious revival, renaissance-consciousness and Baul-Sufi ideologies coexist in Rabindranath's novels. For Rabindranath 'truth' is not an isolated fact; Rather, it is a holistic understanding gained through the combination of many experiences and characters. That is why in his novels the relationship between individual, society and philosophy takes the form of a deep human feeling.
'Rabindracharcha often gets caught up in absurd contradictions'
In his welcome speech at the beginning of the program, Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Azam said that Rabindracharcha in Bangladesh is often stuck in blind devotion and irrational opposition; But it was necessary to read and analyze Rabindranath in the light of new times. He said, "As much as we worshiped, as much as we opposed, we could not produce a good analysis."
Rabindra Award is given by Bangla Academy in recognition of contribution to Rabindranath Tagore's literature, literary criticism or translation. This time Professor Nripendralal Das received the award for Rabindra music practice artist Bulbul Islam and Rabindra literature research. Awards, certificates and mementos were given to them in the ceremony. Then they expressed their feelings in the ceremony.
At the end of the discussion, artists Laisa Ahmed Lisa and Farhin Khan Jayita performed music; Artist Nasim Ahmed recited.
