In the 10th year of its operation, Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) finally has shown courage to take the responsibility of holding Nazrul Mela. But the university has also reflected utter disregard to the famous poet as the state body has discontinued the award in the poet’s name this year.

It is also accused of having truncated the duration of the week-long mela to just three days. The authorities have not even cared to give a single coat of paint to the age-old Nazrul Academy building, replacing the poet’s ancestral home in 1960.

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Bengal’s rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was born at Churulia village of undivided Burdwan district of undivided Bengal on 24 May, 1899. The locals of the poet’s native village constituted Churulia Nazrul Academy (CNA) in 1958 with an ambition to preserve the poet’s works and promote research and cultural activities on Kazi Nazrul Islam and his literary contributions. In 1960, the ancestral mud-structure of the poet’s birthplace was dismantled and a single-storied concrete structure on five decimals of poet’s homestead property was erected where the CNA office was accommodated.

Later, a museum housing the poet’s handwritten notebooks and manuscripts, his personal gramophone, records, musical instruments, garments of the poet, his medals and memorabilia also came up.

In 1978, the CNA kicked off a week-long Nazrul Mela beginning each year on the poet’s birthday where performers, researchers are seen making a beeline from across Bengal, Tripura and neighbouring Bangladesh. The mela was suspended for the last two years due to the nationwide restrictions imposed for Covid-19 pandemic.

Kazi Nazrul Islam, incidentally, was honoured as the national poet of Bangladesh and was buried there after his death on 29 August, 1976. The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also visited Churulia in 1999. She also chaired as special guest during the inauguration of Kazi Nazrul University in 2012. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee took special initiatives to set up the KNU in Asansol in memory of the rebel poet.

“The KNU, after 10 long years, felt it necessary to come forward and take the responsibility of the Nazrul Academy and also the fair,” said Kazi Rezaul Karim, secretary, CNA. He’s the nephew of the poet and assumed the charge of secretary only after the LF government had assumed the office in 1977. Rezaul said, “That was a hard time when the CNA was set up against all odds.” Now, the KNU, as he said, “Though has taken charge this year but has suspended the Nazrul Award that we used to reward the dedicated Nazrul-geeti singers, researchers since the inception of the fair.”

Dr Chaitali Dutta, deputy registrar, KNU, said, “We’ve suspended the Nazrul Award for now and later it may be reconsidered.”

The KNU, a much aspired institution, could be set up after the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee took special initiative for the purpose. The assent of the governor for Kazi Nazrul University Act, 2012 was first published in Kolkata Gazette on 16 August, 2012. On 10 January, the chief minister laid the foundation for the university building, spread over 13 acre at Kalla near Asansol town. Poet’s native village Churulia however remained ‘overlooked’ over the years.