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Footprints of Nazrul in Comilla

Zakir Azad, CbmiUa
Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam spent some years at Daulatpur under Muradnagar upazila and his wife Pramila Devi's house is located in Comilla town. Nazrul had visited Comilla five times. On April 1921, he came here and resided at the house of Biren Shome for four days. Nazrul came with Ali Akbar Khan, a noted publisher of Kolkata. Nazrul along GAiilTKharrwcriHr^^ where the poet staved for two months and composed many poems and songs. Here he fell in love with Sayeeda Khatun alias Nargis, niece of Ali Akbar Khan.
On June 18, 1921 Nazrul married Nargis. Ustad Aftabuddin Khan, Shahabuddin Bayati, Baul poet Musa Shah and the family members of Indra Kumar
Sengupta attended the wedding. But for some reason Nazrul was disturbed and left the house of Ali Akbar Khan on the night of his wedding. Nazrul moved in with Indra Kumar Sengupta and his family in Comilla town. Giribala Devi (Sengupta's aunt) and her daughter Ashalata alias Pramila Devi also lived with the Senguptas. Nazrul was unwell and stayed there for almost three weeks. The Senguptas looked after the poet and Nazrul was gradually Upon heai ing the news of Nazrul's illness, on July 6 1921, Muzaffar Ahmed, friend of Ali Akbar Khan, took Nazrul back to Calcutta (now Kolkata). The same year in November, Nazrul returned to Comilla and stayed at Giribala Devi's residence. During his visit, Nazrul met with Congress leader Ashrafuddin Chowdhury, Basanta Kumar Majumder, Motahar Hossain Chowdhury. Jaan-e-Alam Chowdhury, Atindra Mohan Roy Chowdhury, Sachin Dev Burman and Ustad Muhammad Khusru.
On November 21, 1921, the Prince of Wales visited India, and in protest of this, a daylong 'hartal' (strike) was observed in Comilla as everywhere else in the sub-continent. People from all walks of life observed the 'hartal' and Nazrul sang‘‘Bhikkha dao, bhikkha dao, phiria chao ogo purobashi, santan aaj upobashi.”
Nazrul was arrested and sent to Calcutta police station. Later, he was freed from police custody.
In the month of February, in 1922, Nazrul returned to Comilla and stayed here for five months. During this stay, he wrote several poems including "Priyar Roop," "Baishakhi," "Pralay Ullash” and "Chirochena."
On August 11,1922, Nazrul's famous publication “Dhumketu" came out. The rulers did not take the poet's scathing criticism of the British rule kindly. Police looked for Nazrul, but he was then at the residence of Giribala Devi in Comilla. This was his fourth visit to Comilla. Police arrested Nazrul in front of the residence of Jogendranath Dutta in Comilla town on November 23,1922.
He was sent to Alipore jail. After being freed from jail on December 23 1923, Nazrul again came to the home of Giribala Debi and stayed there for some days. On April 24 1924, Nazrul married Pramila Devi. Nazrul wrote many poems during his stay in Comilla. In Daulatpur, Nazrul composed 10 songs. The bard wrote "Akarun priya," "Shesher gaan," "Bedonamoni" andLakkhichhara."
Places in Comilla, bearing the memories of the National Poet, are now facing severe negligence. No steps to maintain these places have been taken in the past two decades. People of Comilla have repeatedly demanded naming the proposed Comilla University after Kazi Nazrul Islam.
It may be mentioned that some local influential PJ?°PJe JlILve j^egg^^onsy^c^d a bupdipg by filling up a pond (opposite I arnf.i Ridyavatan) belonging to Pramila Devi's family. The occupiers have removed the memorial plaque from the place. A public dumpster has been placed next to the memorial plaque at Ranirdighipar. No memorial sign exists at Rajganj from where the poet was arrested by the British police in 1921.