Dhaka, May 9 -- Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam on Saturday said the poetry of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore has long served as a source of inspiration for the people of Bangladesh, including during their struggle against autocracy.

Speaking at a programme marking the 165th birth anniversary of Tagore at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital, he said people of the country fought for 17 years, drawing strength from the poet's words and ideals.

"The people of Bangladesh loved the hard truth and endured a long struggle. That struggle did not betray them; rather, it brought them a new dawn," he said, quoting Tagore's famous line: "Truth is hard, but I have loved the hard, and it never deceives."

The four-...