Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor yesterday opened a three-day ‘Zainul Utsab’ at Dhaka University campus urging all to uphold non-communal spirit and country’s history and culture, reports BSS. Recalling the life and works of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, the minister said his contribution to the field of art, has placed the country’s art at the top position in the world. The minister said this while addressing the inaugural session of the festival as the chief guest at Faculty of Fine Arts on the campus marking the 102nd birth anniversary of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin.
Noor said, “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to build Sonar Bangla through promoting arts, literature and culture. But after the August 15 carnage in 1975, the country has been pushed towards darkness.”
Presided over by DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, Jahanara Abedin—wife of painter Zainul Abedin—addressed the inaugural session as the chief guest.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said a country has geographical boundary, but art and culture and science and technology have no geographical boundary. Two eminent painters—Professor Emeritus of Rabindra Bharati University of Indian Jogen Chowdhury and former Professor of DU Oriental Art Department Md Abul Hashem Khan—were conferred with “Zainul Award 2016” for their outstanding contribution to the arena of fine arts education. Later, the cultural affairs minister along with the vice-chancellor inaugurated a folk fair marking the birthday anniversary of the eminent painter. The festival will end on December 31.