Three week long Jasim Pollimela (village fair) coinciding the 112th birth anniversary of the immortal folk poet Jasimuddin concluded last evening here at the Mela premises of poet’s ancestral home located at Gobindapur in the suburb of the town.
The fair was organized jointly by Faridpur Jasim Foundation and District Administration.Overseas Employment and Expatriate Welfare Minister Engineer Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain was the chief guest at the concluding function chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Faridpur Sardar Sharafat Ali.Addressing the function as the chief guest Mosharraf stressed the need for preserving our traditional cultural heritage for our national progress and identity. He said that this village fair which has become the annual festival coinciding the birth anniversary of poet Jasimuddin is a praiseworthy venture of the organizers to preserve our heritage as well as a source of enjoyment for the rural as well as urban people.He further said that with rapid urbanization we are going to forget our rich traditional culture projected by Jasimuddin through his writings to remind our past. The urban culture in true sense failed to fulfill our natural demand of our soul as Bangalee.He also said that the way this ‘Polli Mela’ is flourishing it would soon take the shape and status of national fair.The minister said that at the initiatives of Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina the construction work of the Taka 16 crore research oriented project in the style of ‘Jasim Complex’ under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs which has began in 2010 is now completed.The minister said that the complex being built adjacent to poet’s ancestral home will have a rich library, dormitory, research facilities and some relics of used materials of the poet will be preserved. The unpublished works of the poet will also be published, the minister said.The function was also addressed by Police Super Md. Jamil Hassan, Zonal Settlement officer Arun Chandra Mohottom, ADC(Gen) Abdur Rashid, ADC (Education & ICT) and Sadar upazilla parishad chairman Khondoker Mohtesham Hossain Babor.Pointing to the prevailing political situation created by BNP and Jamaat the minister said the futile exercises carried across the country will not be able to unseat the present government rather it will bring disaster for the parties responsible for it. He advised them to come to senses and take up democratic and peaceful programmes shunning violence and withdrawing the so called blockade that has brought untold sufferings to the people and hampering economic progress.
The minister assured the SSC examinees and their guardians to appear at the examinations with no fear or hesitation because the government and also patriot people will ensure all protections and safety for them.About two hundred display and selling outlets were set up in the three week long fair where all varieties of handicrafts were available besides various sources of amusements and recreations including circus. Another attraction of the fair was holding of regular cultural functions on ‘Jasim Mancha’ by a number of cultural troupes of this locality.Prizes were distributed among the participants of the cultural functions and also among the contestants took part in the recitation competition from the poems of Jasimuddin. -BSS, Faridpur
