& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

"Great Masters of Bangladesh: Safiuddin Ahmed"

launched at Bengal Gallery

Takir Hossain
Bengal Foundation and Skira Editore (of Milan, Italy) launched their first book of the series Great Masters— “Great Masters of Bangladesh: Safiuddin Ahmed". The programme was held on February 7 at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhanmondi. Earlier, their book "My Journey as a Witness” on internationally acclaimed photographer Shahidul Alam was published as well.
Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman unveiled the book as chief guest. Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman was present as special guest. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Professor Syed Azizul Haque, Dr. Kaiser Haq, poet and Professor of English at the University of Dhaka; printmaker Ahmed Nazir, son of Safiuddin Ahmed; Abul Hasnat, editor of the monthly Bengali literary magazine Kali O Kalam; Luva Nahid Chowdhury, director general of Bengal Foundation; Subir Chowdhury, director of Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts; and Abul Khair Litu, chairman of Bengal Foundation, spoke at the book launch.
The speakers gave a brief description of the publication, the artist and his contribution to Bangladeshi art.
"I'm elated to be a part of the worthy publication. Writing on Safiuddin Ahmed has been an exceptional experience for me. He is a dedicated and talented printmaker," said Syed Azizul Haq.
"This is a great achievement for us. The book has perfectly documented the artist's life and works,” asserted Habibur Rahman.
About the book and the artist, Abul Hasnat said, "It is a rare publication. The book superbly projects an artist's lyrical creation. An introvert, Safiuddin has been a famed printmaker over the decades. He is very meticulous in his unique creations.”
Abul Maal Abdul Muhith stated, “I congratulate both Bengal Foundation and Skira for publishing this rare book on a veteran artist. I believe joint initiatives such as this will take our art and culture forward”.
Safiuddin is now bed-ridden and has been suffering from old age complications for a long time. He was born in 1922 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. He was a student of Calcutta Government School of Art and graduated from the institute in 1942. After the Partition (1947), Safiuddin left Calcutta for Dhaka, and got involved in a movement to set up the first art institute in the then East Pakistan. He was a friend and colleague of Zainul Abedin, one of the founders of Dhaka Art College.
Safiuddin is a fastidious artist. He deliberates over as ingle piece of work, in search of perfection.
Some of his outstanding achievements as a young artist included the President's Gold Medal (1945) by Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta, first prize in the category of black and white in International Contemporary Art Exhibition, New Delhi (1946), first prize in the category of black and white (etching and drawing) in InterAsian Art Exhibition in New Delhi (1947),Patna Maharaja's Gold Medal (1947). He is a proud recipient of the Ekushey Padak and Shadhinota Puroshkar.