Poems are powerful tools to motivate people: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said powerful poems are stronger tools to motivate people as those reach the hearts.

"Many untold words can be expressed through poems. It shows the paths in many struggles," she said recalling the significant contributions of cultural activities to every national struggle since the Language Movement.

The prime minister made the remark while addressing Bangabandhu National Recitation Festival 2020-22 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib National Recitation Medal 2020-22 Conferring Ceremony.

She inaugurated the festival, joining the programme held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.  

Hasina said a poem can motivate people much more than what the words of a politician can do.

"Hearts of people can be reached through poems, songs, dramas and cultural practices in a greater way."

She noted the nation witnessed the first blow to its culture and language soon after the emergence of Pakistan, as a result of which the struggle for making Bangla a state language started in 1948.

Mentioning the leading role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the Language Movement, she said the great leader who was then a law student of Dhaka University protested the attacks on Bangla. He formed Chhatra League and Bhasa Sangram Parishad taking student leaders and Tamaddun Majlish to call for the movement.

She said Bangabandhu with many others was jailed during the 11th March strike in 1948.  

Citing the verses ---"The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is a struggle for independence"—of Bangabandhu's 7th March Speech, she said the historic speech is a timeless poem (Omor Kabita).

"Attacks had come down time and again, but Bangalis did not sit idle rather protested every time," said Sheikh Hasina.

She said the language of protest had come out through poems when no political activity could be conducted immediately after the 15 August 1975 assassination.  People were motivated, she said.