Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
Bangabandhu, Gandhi share striking similarities in political philosophy: Doraiswami
Upholding the glory of the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and India, the High Commissioner of India in Dhaka Vikram Doraiswami stated on Saturday that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi,recognised as the fathers of their respective nations, shared similar political philosophy and ideology during their individual journeys.
The Indian High Commissioner made the remarks at the inauguration ceremony of Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Saturday.
“This unique, interactive digital exhibition commemorates not just Bangladesh’s 50 years of Liberation, but this also commemorates the striking similarities between the two great leaders. This exhibition showcases their struggles in their individual journeys and their history-making political philosophies that led the creation of two nations - India and Bangladesh,” the Indian envoy said in his speech as the guest of honor.
He added, “This is a very special moment for us to open the exhibition for the public after the lockdown restrictions of the ongoing pandemic, and we look forward to our friends from Bangladesh and India to visit the exhibition and explore the two iconic leaders’ lives and journey through the power of interactive multimedia.”
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni joined the exhibition as its chief guest, while State Minister for Culture K.M Khalid alongside HE Doraiswami joined the digital exhibition as its guests of honor.
Md Abul Monsur, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs chaired the inauguration ceremony while Liaqat Ali Lucky, director general, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, delivered the welcome speech to the audience.
Thanking India for arranging the exhibition, Dr Dipu Moni said, “Bangladesh and India have always shared strong mutual friendship and bilateral relationship, rooted from the greatness of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and India’s Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This interactive exhibition is just another example of this wonderful relationship, showcasing the eventful journey of two iconic leaders.”
Read: Doraiswami recalls Bangabandhu’s close association with eminent Indian personalities
Two-day art camp on PM Hasina begins at BSA
To mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a special two-day art camp was inaugurated at the National Art Gallery plaza of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Wednesday.
Seventy-five renowned female painters and artists of the country have joined the art camp titled "Sheikh Hasina: Bishwajoyi Nondito Neta.''
Portraying the eventful and historic life of Sheikh Hasina, eminent artists and art scholars – including Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Farida Zaman, Rokeya Sultana, Naima Haque, Ivy Zaman, Farzana Ahmed Shanta, and Syed Mahbuba Karim Mini – are participating in the camp.
READ: Weeklong exhibition on Rohingya memories to begin Sunday
24th National Art Exhibition extended till September 25
The ongoing 24th edition of the National Art Exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA)’s National Art Gallery has been extended due to audience demand and will now conclude on September 25.
The event was opened to in-person audiences on September 1 as the first major public exhibition of BSA, since it shut its doors in April amid the second wave of COVID-19.
This year’s exhibition created history as the first-ever virtual edition inaugurated on June 29 at its website www.shilpakala.gov.bd and its official YouTube channel till July 31, due to the havoc of COVID-19 in the country.
Known as one of the most celebrated art exhibitions of the country and one of the flagship artistic ventures of BSA since 1975, the event was virtually inaugurated by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid.
A total of 157 paintings, 47 sculptures, 53 prints, 17 photographs, 18 installations, 10 oriental artworks, 20 crafts, 7 new media works, 5 graphics works, and 7 potteries are on display, alongside 6 special performance art shows. Of the over 1,000 artworks submitted by a total of 786 artists, the 347 artworks of different mediums and genres by 323 artists are being showcased at this year’s exhibition.
Spl show to commemorate Aug 21 grenade massacre
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) is hosting a three-day special visual arts show to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the August 21 grenade massacre in Dhaka.
Titled ‘August Repeated Attempts’, the programme at Nandan Mancha, starting Saturday, will showcase the graphic representation of the gruesome attack on an anti-terror rally of the Awami League in Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
Curated by Avijit Chowdhury and conceptualised by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, the show will feature the performances of Sujon Mahabub, Sadia Brishti, Amrin Promi, Sobuj, Humayra Neer, Munjerin, Rony, Anuradha, Shagor, Mong Shen, Anik, Bishal, Jobaer and Arnab.
READ: Zia behind Aug 15 killings, Khaleda involved in Aug 21 attack: PM
"Annually organised since 2016, this special visual arts show will also mark the reopening of such programmes at the academy after the nationwide shutdown due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic since April 5," BSA Public Relations Officer Hasan Mahmud told UNB.
BSA Secretary Asaduzzaman is in charge of the visual arts show, supported by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. It will be supervised by BSA Fine Arts department director Syeda Mahbuba Karim.
Saturday marks the 17th anniversary of the heinous attack, aimed at current Prime Minister and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina who was addressing a crowd of 20,000 people from the back of a truck at the venue.
READ: ‘Want to see verdict execution before I die’: Aug 21 attack victim
At least 24 people were killed, including Sheikh Hasina's bodyguard Mahbubur Rahman and Awami League Women's Affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman, and around 300 others injured.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the attack with an ear injury.
Cultural organizations observe National Mourning Day
Different cultural organizations in the country observed the National Mourning Day, marking the 46th death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by holding a variety of virtual and hybrid-format events on Sunday.
Organizations including Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Abritti Somonnoy Parishad, Liberation War Museum, Bangladesh Sangeet Sangathan Somonnoy Parishad and others streamed cultural programmes and discussions on their official Facebook pages.
Read: Bangabandhu’s life, sacrifice being showcased in NYC's Times Square
Bangla Academy arranged a webinar featuring State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, National Professor and the academy’s current Chairman Rafiqul Islam, Liberation War Museum trustee Mofidul Hoque, recitation artist and Sammilita Snagskritik Jote’s General Secretary Hasan Arif, singer Timir Nandi, recitation artist Rupa Chakrabarty, and Ministry of Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur.
Poet Nurul Huda, Director General of Bangla , delivered his welcome speech at the webinar, which was hosted by Bangla Academy Secretary AHM Lokman.
A handful of online events were organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), marking the National Mourning Day on its Facebook page. As part of its events, BSA organized a virtual programme on Sunday night which was joined by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid as the chief guest.
National professor and Bangla Academy Chairman Rafiqul Islam, Cultural Affairs Ministry secretary Md Abul Mansur, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy secretary Asaduzzaman, Bangla Academy Director General poet Nurul Huda, and Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee assistant general secretary Dr Nuzhat Choudhury were present as discussants at the event, which was presided over by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director general Liaquat Ali Lucky.
Thespian and former Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor poet Dr Muhammad Samad, poet Nirmalendu Goon, Indian-Bengali singer Mitali Mukherjee, poet Kazi Rozi, singer-composer Naquib Khan, poet Asim Saha, singer Timir Nandi, poet Tarik Sujat, and others performed in the online cultural programme followed by the discussion, moderated by media personality Dr Abdun Noor Tushar.
Read:Inspired to protect the values Bangabandhu stood for: India
BSA has also launched a six-day virtual drama show on Bangabandhu on its Facebook page and YouTube channel. Performed and recorded by District Shilpakala Academy in Chittagong, Kushtia, Thakurgaon, Manikganj, Moulvibazar and Barguna, the opening day drama titled ‘Rajnityr Kobi’ was presented by Chittagong District Shilpakala Academy at 8 pm on Sunday.
Liberation War Museum uploaded a tribute video titled “August-er Bishonno Bikel” on its Facebook page, as a homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Directed by trustee of the Liberation War Museum Mofidul Hoque, the video features a recitation by former Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor reading from the late Syed Najmuddin Hashim’s writing, and Bhaskar Bandyopadhyay reciting Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “Pother Sheshe” which was synchronised with dancer Sudeshna Swayamprabha’s dance recital, choreographed by Sharmila Bandhopadhyay.
Bangladesh Sangeet Sangathan Somonnoy Parishad organised a webinar, streamed live on its Facebook group featuring writer-columnist Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, thespian and International Theatre Institute (ITI) President Ramendu Majumdar, and Bangladesh Sangeet Sangathan Samannay Parishad President Tapan Mahmud. The speakers spoke on the life and works of Mujib at the programme, which was anchored by the General Secretary of the organisation Biswajit Roy.
Bangladesh National Museum organized a hybrid discussion ceremony at its Sufia Kamal Auditorium. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, President of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Ministry of Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur virtually joined and spoke at the event, among others.
Read:Nation observing Bangabandhu’s anniversary of martyrdom in a somber mood
The discussion was chaired by Khandaker Mostafizur Rahman, Director General of Bangladesh National Museum.
Several other cultural organizations, educational institutions, television channels and radio stations also arranged multiple discussions and cultural programmes, commemorating the life and works of the Father of the Nation and his family members.
Arts amid pandemic: 'An effective tool to preserve history for future'
Emphasising the importance of nurturing arts and culture for crafting a better society, junior Cultural Affairs Minister KM Khalid has said both have the infinite power to travel between good and bad times and are effective tools for preserving history.
“The world is passing a crucial phase due to the ongoing global pandemic, and we have been continuously observing so many emotional situations altogether on a regular basis. Through continuing the artistic journey, we certainly can preserve emotions of history so that our future generation can get to learn how the world has dealt with the crucial situations amid all hardships.” Khalid said on Tuesday.
Read: National Art Exhibition's 24th edition begins Tuesday
He emphasised the importance of preserving artworks from different genres and subjects as well as keeping cultural practices active, while inaugurating the 24th edition of the National Art Exhibition 2021 at its virtual inauguration ceremony.
“When we first explored the havoc of this deadly pandemic, we saw many heartbreaking moments everywhere in the world. People could not bid adieu to their beloved ones who had lost their battle to Covid... parents could not touch their children and vice-versa.
"Despite observing a handful of miseries like these, we have seen how our artists have utilised their divine power to capture these emotions on their canvases and showed their creativity through exhibitions like the one we are launching today. This is how art can preserve history, for which the government is providing continuous support and motivation,” Khalid said.
Known as one of the most vividly celebrated art exhibitions of the country and one of the flagship artistic ventures of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) since 1975, this year’s National Art Exhibition creates history with its first-ever virtual edition, due to the pandemic.
The inauguration ceremony was also joined by the newly appointed Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Md Abul Mansur, as the guest of honour, while eminent artist Abdul Mannan joined the inauguration ceremony as the special guest.
Read: Registration deadline for 24th National Art Exhibition extended to May 26
BSA's Director of Fine Arts Syeda Mahbuba Karim delivered the welcome speech and the inauguration ceremony was chaired by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky.
“We really wanted to have the opportunity to cater to our art enthusiasts a physical exhibition as we have done in the previous years, but we had to go virtual this year considering the safety of everyone. I request the art admirers to explore the exhibition by visiting the virtual gallery of BSA’s website and YouTube channel,” BSA’s Director of Fine Arts Syeda Mahbuba Karim said at the inauguration ceremony.
The organisers informed at the event that a total of 157 paintings, 47 sculptures, 53 prints, 17 photographs, 18 installations, 10 oriental artworks, 20 crafts, seven new media works, five graphics works, and seven potteries are on display, alongside six special performance art shows. Of the over 1,000 artworks submitted by a total of 786 artists, 347 artworks of different mediums and genres by 323 artists are being showcased at this year’s exhibition.
The inauguration ceremony was followed by a glimpse of the month-long virtual exhibition, after which the names of the award recipient artists were announced. Mohammad Hasanur Rahaman won the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy award worth Tk 200,000 (2 lakh) as the best artist of this year’s exhibition.
Eleven departmental prizes for different genres worth Tk 100,000 (1 lakh) each were awarded to artists Imtiaj Ahmed Rasel (Installation Art), Ruhul Karim Rumee (Painting), Md Anisuzzaman (Printmaking), Kanok Kumar Pathak (Sculpture), Sushanta Kumar Adhikary (Oriental Art), Samiya Afrin (Crafts), Md Robiul Islam (Ceramic), Al Monjur Elahi (Graphic Design), Md Al Yeacha Irfan Uddin (Photography), Efat Razowana Reya (Performance Art), and Zihan Karim (New Media Art).
Read:US Ambassador Miller visits art exhibition on PM at Cosmos Centre
Five honourable mention awards worth Tk 25,000 were given to artists Abu Tareq Md Kadimul Islam Jadu (Painting), Kazi Sayed Ahmed (Painting), Aminul Islam Ashik (Sculpture), Alok Rajbongshi (Sculpture), and Md Rafiqul Islam (Printmaking).
The rest of the five special ‘Honourable’ prizes - Bengal Foundation award, Artist Kalidas Karmakar award, Language Activist Gaziul Haque award, Shahjalal Islami Bank Foundation award and Artist Kazi Anwar Hossain award - was awarded to artist Abhijit Chowdhury (Painting), Rasel Kanti Das (Painting), Tanvir Ahmed Joy (Sculpture), Promotesh Das Pulak (Installation Art), and Kamruzzaman (Printmaking), respectively.
Bangladesh Short Film and Documentary Festival begins Friday
Here's some good news for movie buffs. The third edition of the Bangladesh Short Film and Documentary Festival will begin on June 18.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it will be a virtual event this year, according to Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Read: First-ever Bangladesh European Union Film Festival (BEUFF) kicks off online
A total of 119 films -- 81 fictional and 38 documentaries -- will be shown at this year's event that will virtually run till June 25. The Academy is dedicating this year's festival to the legendary filmmaker Hiralal Sen.
BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky and Director of the Academy's Theatre and Film Department, Afsana Karim Mimi, shared the details of the festival at a virtual press meet streamed on its Facebook page on June 16.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid will virtually inaugurate the festival at 5 pm on June 18 as the chief guest.
Read:Rehana Maryam Noor: The Bangladeshi Film in the prestigious list of Cannes
Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Badrul Arefin, noted filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury and prominent film scholar-researcher Anupam Hayat will join the inauguration ceremony as special guests, while Mimi will deliver the welcome speech.
The inauguration ceremony will be chaired by the BSA Director General.
At the virtual press briefing, the organisers said that of the 400-plus films submitted, the 119 were selected by a five-member selection committee.
Read: First Bangladeshi film in Cannes' Un Certain Regard: After Matir Moyna, 'Rehana Maryam Noor' makes history
Hayat, advisor to Bangladesh Documentary Council Sazzad Zahir, Secretary General of Bangladesh Short Film Forum Rakibul Hasan, film critic Sadia Khalid, and Assistant Director of BSA's Theatre and Film Department Chakladar Mostafa Al Masoud are the members of the committee.
A five-member jury will select the best films of the festival. The jurors are Bangladesh Documentary Council President Faridur Rahman, Bangladesh Short Film Forum President Zahidur Rahman Anjan, filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, actress Mimi and eminent filmmaker Syed Salahuddin Zaki.
Seven separate awards will be conferred on the recipients, based on each of the two categories (fictional films and documentaries).
Read: Female filmmakers of Bangladesh have made their mark in the industry
The festival will also feature three masterclasses from June 21st to June 23rd at 6 pm. These masterclasses will be conducted by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, Shabnam Ferdousi and Lawrence Apu Rozario.
BSA organised this exclusive film festival in 2016 and 2018 across all the 64 districts of Bangladesh.
Dhaka, OIC Youth Capital 2020-21: Bangabandhu-Youth Art Competition begins June 17
A month-long virtual exhibition, part of the program for capital Dhaka serving as the OIC Youth Capital 2020-21, titled ‘Bangabandhu-Youth Art Competition’ is going to begin June 17, organised, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
A hundred works of art selected in four categories will be displayed in this special virtual exhibition.
The virtual exhibition will be inaugurated on June 17 at 4 pm by State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell as the chief guest. Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum ICYF, Istanbul, Turkey will also join the event as the guest of honour at the virtual inauguration ceremony.
READ: 9th Liberation DocFest concludes: '3 Logical Exits' wins top prize
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Akhtar Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Badrul Arefin will also join the inauguration ceremony as special guests, while the Director General of BSA Liaquat Ali Lucky will deliver the welcome speech.
The inauguration ceremony will be chaired by State Minister for Culture KM Khalid.
Details regarding this special exhibition was announced at a virtual press conference on Tuesday. BSA Director General Liakat Ali Lucky and Director of Fine Arts Department Syeda Mahbuba Karim were present at the press conference held on the official Facebook page of BSA, hosted by its Public Relations Officer Hasan Mahmud.
A total of 335 artists aged 18-35 from 57 member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other countries registered themselves to participate in the competition from Bangladesh, Asia and other countries of the world. There were four mediums of the competition - Contemporary Art, Calligraphy, Photography and Graphic Design.
Participatory artists competed on six subjects of the paintings, including Bangabandhu and Bangladesh, COVID-19 Pandemic, Humanity in Refugee Crisis, Youth Spirit in Technology, Islamic Art, and Climate Change.
The judges from Bangladesh are Professor Jamal Ahmed, Professor Moinuddin Ahmed, artist Syeda Mahbuba Karim on Contemporary Art; Mustafa Zaman, Mahbub Morshed, Ferdous Ara Begum on Calligraphy, Professor Mamun Kaiser, Professor Naima Haque, artist Farzana Ahmed on Graphic Design and eminent photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, Khandaker Mofizul Islam and M Yusuf Ali on Photography.
Judges who selected the artworks from Asia and other regions are Professor Basma Dajani (Jordan), Ferdous Ara Begum and Mustafa Zaman on Calligraphy; Professor Dr Marcus Graf (Germany), Ahmet Albayrak (Turkey), Kornelija Koneska (Macedonia), Professor Moinuddin Ahmed, Syeda Mahbuba Karim on Contemporary Art, Shaikha Al Marri (Qatar), Professor Naima Haque, Professor Mamun Kaiser on Graphic Design and Murat Gur (Turkey), Mostafa Mahfouz Nouh (Egypt), Nasir Ali Mamun and Khandaker Mufizul Islam on Photography.
READ: First-ever Bangladesh European Union Film Festival (BEUFF) kicks off online
Each category will include a grand award comprising a certificate and USD 2500. Besides, all four categories will feature 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for artists representing the three regions. Each 1st prize winner will receive USD 500 while the 2nd prize winner will get USD 300 and the 3rd prize winner will receive USD 200, according to the organizers.
The exhibition will be available for the art admirers at the virtual galleries and websites of BSA and OIC.
18 artists, 2 organisations to receive Shilpakala Padak 2019, 2020
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy announced the names of 20 recipients for its prestigious Shilpakala Padak 2019 and 2020 Saturday.
Eighteen cultural luminaries and two cultural organisations will receive the award, said the academy.
The award has been conferred to creative personalities for their continuous contributions to arts, culture, entertainment and literature since 2013.
However, the award was not conferred in 2019 and the ceremony could not take place in 2020 due to the ongoing global pandemic.
Also read: Names of Shilpakala Padak 2018 recipients announced
The recipients of the 2019 award are Mohammad Moniruzzaman (instrumental – flute), Lubna Marium (dance), Hasina Momtaz (vocal), Abdul Mannan (fine arts), Masud Ali Khan (dramatics), M A Taher (photography), Shamvu Acharaya (folklore), Hasan Arif (recitation), Anupam Hayat (film) and cultural institution Chhayanaut (creative cultural unit).
For 2020, the selected cultural personalities are Shamsur Rahman (instrumental – shehnai), Shibli Mohammad (dance), Mahmudur Rahman Benu (vocal), Shahid Kabir (fine arts), Malay Bhowmick (dramatics), Shafiqul Islam Swapan (photography), Shah Alam Sarkar (folklore), Dahlia Ahmed (recitation), Shameem Akhtar (film) and Dinajpur Nattya Samity (creative cultural unit).
The awards will be handed over to the recipients at a ceremony later at the academy in the capital's Segunbagicha.
Each recipient will get a gold medal, a cheque of Tk1 lakh, and a certificate.
Registration deadline for 24th National Art Exhibition extended to May 26
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has extended the registration deadline for the 24th edition of the National Art Exhibition Biennale.
Those who want to showcase their artworks and crafts at the country's biggest annual art exhibition will have to register by May 26.
This year, the biennale exhibition is set to take place from June 25 to July 31. All the registered artists can submit their artworks within June 17, according to the academy.
Started as a biennale back in 1975, the exhibition has earned recognition from art-lovers around the whole nation as a celebration of modern artworks and crafts by artists from all over the country.
The 23rd edition of the National Art Exhibition was inaugurated on July 1, 2019, and concluded on July 21.
In the 23rd edition, artist Kamruzzaman won the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy prize as the grand award for his painting Global Warming-2.
Four departmental prizes for artwork, sculpture, print illustration and new media were awarded to artists Rafat Ahmed Badhon, Tanvir Mahmud, Ruhul Karim Rumi and Shahid Kazi.
The rest of the three special prizes – Bengal Foundation award, Dipa Haque award and Artist Kazi Anwar Hossain Award – went to artists Uttam Kumar Talukdar, Suman Wahid and Faria Khanum Tuli.