<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000;">The 123rd birth anniversary of the national poet of Bangladesh Kazi Nazrul Islam is being celebrated in the country on Wednesday.<br />''<br />'' Cultural and social organisations across the country are organising programmes on this occasion to pay tribute to poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.<br />''<br />''The birth anniversary progamme of the poet started with the Minister of State for Culture KM Khalid laying a wreath on the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam in the Dhaka University area early in the morning. Other eminent personalities such as Director-General of Bangla Academy, Poet Muhammad Nurul Huda, Director General of National Museum Khondakar Mostafizur Rahman and senior officials from the government also paid floral tribute to the poet. <br />''<br />''After a gap of two years, programmes with off-line participation of the audiences and the artists are taking place in the country as covid situation has eased substantially. The government of Bangladesh has announced the theme of the birth centenary of Kavi Nazrul as 'Rebel's Centenary'.<br />''<br />''Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India on Tuesday organised an evening of Nazrul songs to celebrate the birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam. Poet's grand-daughter Khilkhil Kazi was the Special Guest on this occasion. Renowned Nazrul Geethi artist Khairul Islam Shakil performed Nazrul songs during t the programme organised in the auditorium of Shilp Kala Academy, Dhaka. <br />''<br />''The day also marks the anniversary of the event when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought Kazi Nazrul Islam along with his family to Bangladesh from India on 24 May 1972. Minister for Post and Telecommunication Mustafa Jabbar released a special commemorative stamp to mark the day at Trishal at Mymensingh on Tuesday.<br />''<br />''Known as 'Bidrohi Kobi' or rebel poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on the 11th Joishtha in Bengali calendar year 1306 corresponding to 24 May 1899 in Churulia near Asansol of West Bengal's Burdwan district. Bangladesh is celebrating his birth anniversary on Wednesday, 25 May as per the Bengali calendar.<br />''<br />''His repertoire known as Nazrul Geeti or Nazrul Sangeet is huge. He wrote on a variety of themes. Nazrul's poems are deeply imbued with a sense of humanism, justice and rebellion against oppression. It was a source of inspiration during the liberation war of Bangladesh. </span><br />