Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in association with Bangladesh Charushilpi Sangsad organised the programme at the National Chitrashala Auditorium.

Former Foreign Secretary Waliur Rahman, Artist Hashem Khan, cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, Kalidas’ elder daughter Kanka Karmakar, brother Dilip Karmakar, Artist Md Yunus, Charushilpi Sangsad Vice-president Zahid Mustafa, Artist Nazia Andaleeb Preema and Gallery Cosmos Executive Artistic Manager Sourav Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the event with BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky in the chair.

The speakers reminisced about their memories with Kalidas Karmakar and shed light on his life and influences in Bangladeshi modern art and culture.

“My father was a great admirer of modern art. Till his death, he tried to represent Bangladesh as a great country of modern art and he always wanted a museum of modern art in the country where the artists would get their deserving honour for their incredible artworks,” Kanka Karmakar said.

Sourav Chowdhury said, “Kalidas was a man of love and energy. He was a member of our Cosmos family and a founding father-figure of our Gallery Cosmos. He will always be remembered for the excellence he held inside his energetic mind and soul.”

Remembering his influential role, Liaquat Ali Lucky proposed naming an award in his honour at the Asian Biennale, a festival actively participated by the artist over the years since its very beginning. He also proposed a memorial book where his friends, students, contemporary artists and admirers can express their memories and gratitude to the great artist.

The legendary artist, Kalidas Karmakar, breathed his last on October 18.