Russian House celebrates Nazrul’s legacy, highlights Bangladesh-Russia cultural ties

DHAKA, Sept 13: The Russian House in Dhaka, in cooperation with Chhayanat of Kolkata, India, organised a cultural evening celebrating the life, poetry, music and enduring legacy of Bangladesh’s National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

The programme brought together literature, music, dance and discussions while highlighting the historical and continuing cultural connections between Bangladesh and Russia.

Alexandra A. Khlevnoy, director of the Russian House in Dhaka, in her welcome address, described Nazrul as a timeless poet whose writings transcended boundaries of religion, class, language, geography and time.

She said Nazrul’s works expressed universal values including freedom, equality, love, humanity and hope.

Khlevnoy also highlighted the connection between Nazrul’s literary world and Russian and Soviet cultural traditions, particularly their shared emphasis on freedom, justice, courage, compassion and human dignity.

A major segment of the programme focused on the influence of Russian and Soviet literature on Nazrul’s literary outlook.

Students of the Russian Language Course at the Russian House recited selected poems by Nazrul in Russian, presenting the National Poet’s works in a different linguistic and cultural context.

The programme also showcased the growing educational and cultural links between Bangladesh and Russia through video performances by Russian graduates of Saint Petersburg State University and MGIMO University who had studied Bengali.

Bangladeshi students currently studying at Russian universities also took part through video presentations.

The evening featured performances of Nazrul Sangeet, poetry and dance, including renditions of “Meghero Domru Ghono Baje” and “Ei Ranga Matir Pothe”.

A group dance by students of the Serov Academy of Fine Arts was another highlight of the event.

A cultural video presentation by Chhayanat, Kolkata, featured selected poems by Nazrul in Bengali and English.

The programme also included a discussion titled “The Relevance of Kazi Nazrul Islam in the Contemporary World”, focusing on the continuing relevance of the poet’s literary and humanistic vision.

The event provided a platform for bringing together the literary heritage of Bangladesh with Russian and Indian cultural traditions, while underscoring the enduring people-to-people and cultural ties between Bangladesh and Russia.