Fanfare marks opening of Zainul Festival

Children at a painting competition held at Zainul Art Gallery in Mymensingh town yesterday, organised to mark the 90th birth anniversary of the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. PHOTO: STAR

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Bengal Foundation, and Mymensingh district administration jointly organised the festival. It is part of the National Zainul Festival-2004.

Delwar Hossain Khan Dulu, MP inaugurated the Karu Mela (crafts fair) as the chief guest while Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Bakshi was in the chair at the function.

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Later Begum Jahanara Abedin wife of Zainul Abedin opened the painting competition for children. Officials from the National Museum also attended the inaugural function.

Earlier, a colourful procession, joined by a large number of students, was brought out from Government Biddhamoyee Girls School in the town. It terminated in front of Sangrahashala.

About 250 students in three groups (from play group to class ten) took part in the painting competition as Begum Jahnara Abedin, Delwar Hossain Khan Dulu MP, renowned drama artiste and researcher Sayeed Ahmed, his wife Parveen Ahmed, founder member of Women for Women, looked on.

A discussion on the life and works of Shilpacharya was also held at the open gallery on the Sangrahashala premises in the afternoon.

State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain and Begum Jahanara Abedin attended the discussion as chief guest and special guest respectively. The DC was in the chair.

Jalal Uddin Ahmed, an art critic from Pakistan and Ganesh Haloi, an artist from India also attended the function.

A group of artists from Dhaka including Abdul Mannan, Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Murtaza Bashir, Anwar Hossain, Rezaul Karim, Biren Shome, Subir Chowdhury, Nasim Ahmed Nadvi, Saiful Islam, Rangit Das, Banijul Huq attended the celebrations.

The minister also distributed prizes among winners in the painting competition.

The celebration will continue till December 29.

A total of 14 stalls displaying various crafts have been opened at the fair on the Sangrashala premises.

An exhibition of musical instruments of yesteryear drew a huge crowd. Baul and folk songs will enthrall people every afternoon from today till December 29.

Talking to the Daily Star, Begum Jahanara Abedin said she is very happy that people remember works of the of Shilpacharya.

"Zainul is no more but his works are alive. We should preserve those for future generations to benefit the nation and the country.