Preparations are underway in Trishal, Mymensingh, for the national observance of the 127th birth anniversary of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, with organisers planning a five-day programme around the occasion.

A preparatory meeting was held yesterday (May 11) at the Rashedul Islam Conference Hall of the Trishal Upazila complex, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The meeting was chaired by Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md Saifur Rahman. Cultural Affairs Adviser Nitai Roy Chowdhury attended as chief guest.

Among the special guests were Mymensingh-7 lawmaker Dr Md Mahabubur Rahman, Mymensingh Divisional Commissioner Farah Shammi and District Council Administrator Syed Emran Saleh.

Officials at the meeting said preparations for the national-level celebration were progressing rapidly, with district authorities, local administration and related departments jointly coordinating the event.

Speaking at the meeting, Nitai Roy Chowdhury described Nazrul as a central figure in Bangladesh’s cultural consciousness and said this year’s programme would be presented in a “distinctive and aesthetically planned” manner.

Mahabubur Rahman said hosting the national observance in Trishal fulfilled a long-standing demand of local residents and expressed hope that the celebration would become one of the largest cultural events in the area’s history.

Farah Shammi said the scale of the preparations had already created a festive atmosphere across the division and added that the programme would also provide an opportunity to showcase local cultural heritage and indigenous traditions.

The government plans to observe Nazrul’s 127th birth anniversary nationally in Trishal on May 25, a place closely associated with the poet’s early life.