Celebrating 100 years of Tagore’s visit to Sylhet

On November 5 in 1919, renowned poet, musician, and artist Rabindranath Tagore visited Sylhet for the first time. Tuesday marked 100 years of his visit to Sylhet. To celebrate the day, the citizens of Sylhet have organized several programs in the city.

A formal committee has been  formed to organize the four-day programs titled Rabindra Shatabarsha Smaran Utshab, with former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith as its president and Sylhet City Mayor Ariful Haque Choudhury as its general secretary. 

On Tuesday, the curtain on the events was raised with music, dance, and recitation performances, and a statue was unveiled underneath the Keane Bridge in Sylhet city. The events will also feature a photography exhibition on the life of the noble laureate. 

Niranjan Dey, a member of the organizing committee, told the Dhaka Tribune: "We are prepared for the festival, and the city has also obtained a festive look on the occasion."

The Srihatta Brahma Samaj organized programs at the Brahma Temple and at the Kabi Nazrul Auditorium on the opening day, commemorating the occasion.

The main events of the programs are scheduled to be held on Thursday and Friday. Minister of Foreign Affairs AK Abdul Momen is expected to attend the closing ceremony of the program. 

During his Sylhet tour, Tagore delivered two lectures, one at the town hall on November 6 and the other at MC College on November 7. The town hall lecture was published in the journal Prabasi with the title, Bangalir Sadhana. 

Tagore named the city Sree Bhumi, and wrote the poem Mamatahin Kalsrote. 

Historians believe that the poem was written while he was writing an autograph to someone. The poet left Sylhet for Agartala on November 8, 1919.