In a bid to offer support to ailing or terminally ill artistes, a charity platform named ‘Shilpir Pashe Foundation’ has been formed. With the theme ‘Shilpir Pashe Amra Sobai’ (All of us are beside artistes), Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq has taken the initiative with a promise to get united in a human bond for providing assistance to ailing and distressed artistes. The launching ceremony of the Shilpir Pashe Foundation was held at The Westin Dhaka on Saturday, where eminent musicians Lucky Akhand, Alauddin Ali and Shammi Akhtar, who are currently undergoing treatment, received the first ever financial aid from the foundation worth of BDT 40 lacs, 20 lacs and 10 lacs respectively.
Mayor Annisul Huq delivered the welcome speech, describing the reason to form the foundation as well as what he hopes to see in the future.
The trustee board of the foundation consists of 19 members. Among them are Dr Anisuzzaman as chairman and Anjan Chowdhury as vice chairman. The other members include Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq, artist Mustafa Monwar, singer Ferdousi Rahman, Bengal Foundation Chairman Abul Khair, thespian Aly Zaker, Managing Director of Impress Telefilm Ltd and Channel-i Faridur Reza Sagor,  FBCCI president Abdul Matlub Ahmad, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, novelist Selina Hossain, fiction writer Dr Zafar Iqbal, Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, Syed Abdul Hadi, Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu, Mohammad Siddikur Rahman, Faisal Siddiqi Bogi and Barrister Omar Sadat.
At the event, several artistes including Alamgir, Ilias Kanchan, Ferdous, Subir Nandi, Ferdous Wahid, Ferdousi Rahman, Sujit Mostafa, Ferdous Ara, Rafiqul Alam, Abida Sultana, Ayub Bachchu, Hamim Ahmed, Fahmida Nabi, Samina Chowdhury, Sadi Mohammad, Shampa Reza, Mehrin, S I Tutul, Pijush Bandyopadhyay, Sweety, Bonnya, Dipa, Sharmin Shila, magician Jewel Aich, Shamim Ara Nipa, Shibli Mahmud, Kaniz Almas Khan, Emon Saha, Shawkat Ali Emon, lyricist Golam Morshed and Asif Iqbal were also present.
An announcement was made from the event that donating to the foundation is open to all interested people as well.