Bangladeshi artist Jannatul Fardous Meghla scooped up the first prize at the first Annual Student Art Show (ASAS) in the UAE's Dubai.

Organised by UAE-based Art Group Funun Arts at De Montfort University, 320 student artists from 60 nationalities participated in ASAS from November 4-6, focusing on 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Artist Meghla won the first prize in the third category for her painting "Give Clean Water," which was based on SDG Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation. She is now pursuing her BSc in architecture from North South University.

Also, another Bangladeshi calligraphy artist Shamsunnahar Tasnim, a tenth-grader at Jannatul Banat Madrasha in Dhaka, received an award for her Arabic calligraphy on SDG Goal 3: Good health and well-being.

The event was inaugurated by entrepreneur and Chairman of the Al Zarooni Foundation Suhail Mohd Al Zarooni, also a renowned Emirati collector and Guinness Book World Record holder, and Ahmad Al Awadhi Rukni, a renowned Emirati artist.

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The founder of Funun Arts Shiba Khan and Farah Khan initiated this large-scale student art show and the inaugural edition welcomed 26 self-taught artists from Bangladesh under the mentorship of artist Mahfuzur Rahman through Mahfuz Canvas.

On behalf of the Bangladeshi artists, Mahfuzur received both awards at De Montfort University Dubai.

He told UNB that his platform Mahfuz Canvas is striving to provide a global platform to the self-taught artists in Bangladesh, as they are comparatively underprivileged.

"We are happy and proud of this initiative, and continuing our effort on providing international platforms to these artists. Mahfuz Canvas is going to arrange another group exhibition featuring 50 Bangladeshi self-taught artists from December 12 to 19 at Dubai International Art Center, Jumeirah, Dubai."

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The exhibition will mark 51st Victory Day of Bangladesh, Mahfuz told UNB.