President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore on the eve of his 158th birth anniversary on 25th of Bengali month Boishakh, reports BSS.

President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said Rabindranath Tagore is the symbol of spirit and conscience of Bangali nation.

Rabindranath becomes more relevant in the current world as the world is now witnessing fundamentalism, narrowness of nationalism, class discrimination and conflict among nation to nation and religion to religion, he said.

The President hoped the young generation will practice ideology of Rabindranath deeply to understand the world.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said “Rabindranath’s works touch our spirit in every crisis, merriment, sadness, hopes and aspirations.”

She said the works of Rabindranath Tagore inspired all in the anti-British movement and all our democratic movements, including 24-year long independence movement and War of Liberation.

His (Rabindranath’s) thought of nationalism is the infinite source of inspiration for the Bangalis, she said, adding that “His poems and songs encouraged the freedom loving Bangalis to fight against the enemies during the War of Liberation in 1971”.

Referring to the poet’s contributions in improving the living standard of the people of Shilaidah, Shahjadpur and Patisar, the Prime Minister said, “We have established Rabindra University at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj aiming at disseminating the memories of Bishwa Kabi among the new generation”.

Mentioning various literary works of the Nobel laureate poet, Sheikh Hasina said the greatest Bangali of all time and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman conceived the poet’s works as a source of inspiration in materializing the dreams of Bangalee nation into reality.

That’s why, she said, the father of the nation took his (Rabindranath’s) immortal poem “Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomai Bhalobasi” as the National Anthem of Bangladesh.

The nation is observing the 158th birth anniversary of great poet Rabindranath Tagore, the writer of national anthem of the country with elaborate programmes.

On the 25th of Baishakh in 1268 Bengali year, Rabindranath Tagore, the fountainhead of Bengali wisdom was born at Jorashako in Kolkata.