In honor of the 50th anniversary of the poet of consciousness, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Chhayanat (Kolkata) and Kathashilpo Abritti Charcha Kendra jointly presented Journalist Nazrul at the Kolkata Press Club. In honor of the anniversary of Nazrul’s passing, a unique initiative was launched to bring these lesser-known but important facets of the poet’s journalistic career to the attention of fans and academics.

Prominent poet Sayed Hasmat Jalal, Dr. Sheik Kamal Uddin, principal of HINGALGANJ MAHAVIDYALAYA and a Nazrul researcher, and Somerita Mallik, president of Chhayanat (Kolkata) and a Nazrul researcher, all spoke during the two-hour program. The moderator was Pitam Bhattacharya.

Under the joint editorship of Kazi Nazrul Islam and Muzaffar Ahmad, the evening daily newspaper Nabayug was first published in July 1920. At the age of twenty-one, Nazrul began his career in journalism through this publication. Under Kazi Nazrul Islam’s sole editorship, the biweekly newspaper Dhumketu debuted on August 11, 1922. Its goal was to instill ideas of independence and revolution in the Indian populace. Rabindranath Tagore’s blessings and words of encouragement were published regularly since the first issue of Dhumketu.

The newspaper Langal was launched on December 16, 1925, with a loud cry for humanity’s victory. It began as the Workers-Peasants-Swaraj community’s weekly publication. Kazi Nazrul Islam, a humanist poet, served as the publication’s principal director. Nazrul took on the role of Chief Editor when A. K. Fazlul Huq published a new edition of the daily Nabayug on October 29, 1941.

Members of the Kathashilpo Abritti Charcha Kendra and Chhayanat (Kolkata) performed Nazrul’s editorials and poems that were connected to these newspapers.

Priyanka Dutta