Zainul Festival begins at Fine Arts faculty with a call to fight extremism

“Art has been the most effective and ferment weapon against terrorism, extremism, and communalism. Our children need to be promoted with good culture and art”, said Abul Mansur, secretary of cultural affairs ministry at Zainul festival on Wednesday.

Dhaka University’s Fine Arts faculty has organised a three-day festival to celebrate the 107th birthday of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin on the premises of Fine Arts faculty, reports UNB.

Romon Siv Kumar, professor Abdus Shakur, professor Abul Barak Alvi and Shiroki Tousiki were given Zainul Award at the opening ceremony.

Professor Abdus Shakur and professor Abul Barak Alvi were physically present in the programme and remaining two awards were given to the representatives of the awardees.

Khairul Abedin, son of Zainul Abedin, Dhaka University vice chancellor professor Akhtaruzzaman, DU pro-VC (admin) professor Mohammad Samad, Fine Arts faculty dean artist Mohammad Nisar Hossain, along with other teachers of Fine Arts faculty present.

Paying homage to the legendary artiste, Mansur said that Zainul Abedin tried to bring change in imagination. This Institute is one of his contributions and his vision was to see a cosmopolitan Bangladesh.

Thanking the dean of Fine Arts faculty, professor Akhtaruzzaman said Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin started his career through this academy and the reflection of his practice is clearly seen in all the movements of this country.

“What we need to do now is to cultivate the genres that Zainul Abedin started and inspire our generation to follow the style of Zainul,” he added.

The faculty has organised a three-day Zainul Fair, which will remain opened from 10:00am to 7:00pm, on the premises of faculty.

Lectures and cultural programmes will also be arranged on this occasion.

Various types of crafts and hand-made things like ‘Naksi Katha’, ‘Shitol Pati’, ‘Hand-fan’ and other traditional products are being displayed in the fair.

Besides, every department of Fine Arts faculty displayed different cultural artifacts.