PM orders feasibility study to declare Trishal as 'Nazrul City'

The government has directed relevant authorities to assess the feasibility of declaring Trishal in Mymensingh as "Nazrul City," Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said Thursday (July 2), citing the town's deep historical ties to national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

The prime minister made the announcement while addressing the inaugural ceremony of "Nazrul Year 2026-27" at the Secretariat.

He said Nazrul first set foot in Trishal as a teenager in 1914, and it was in recognition of that historic association that authorities had been instructed to examine declaring the town "Nazrul City."

The prime minister said that although Nazrul was not born on Bangladeshi soil, Bangladesh remained at the heart of the poet throughout his life, just as the people of Bangladesh had loved him deeply in return.

He said the period from May 25, 2026 to May 25, 2027 had been declared "Nazrul Year," describing Nazrul as a poet of rebellion, love, equality, humanity and youth, and an unforgettable name in Bengali literature, culture, history and heritage, whose work continues to inspire resistance against injustice to this day.

He added that Nazrul's poetry and songs had inspired people through the Liberation War and other movements and struggles throughout the country's history, and that his relevance extended beyond the past into the present and future generations alike. The year-long observance, he said, was intended to deepen the connection between the national poet's life and work and the general public, particularly the younger generation.

At the event, the prime minister formally inaugurated "Nazrul Year 2026-27," launching a year-long programme simultaneously across all 64 districts and 74 selected upazilas of the country.