A vibrant daylong art camp titled “Echoes of the Hills”unfolded on Wednesday at CHT Culinary, adjacent to Kazipara Metro Station in Mirpur, Dhaka. The event celebrated the creativity of 12 emerging artists from the Chittagong Hill Tracts who painted live throughout the day, turning the space into a living gallery of colour, culture, and imagination.
The camp ran from 10am to 7pm and produced 24 paintings, with each artist creating at least two works on site. The programme was inaugurated by Brigadier General (Retd) Tushar Kanti Chakma, convener of Parbatya Bauddha Sangha and a noted security analyst. He praised the initiative as an inspiring platform for young voices from the hills.
The participating artists were Anonnyo Chakma, Aong Tho Waing Marma, Jayatu Chakma, Lata Chakma, Monjuri Dewan, Nu Mong Prue Marma, Parag Chakma, Pragati Chakma, Sonchay Moni Chakma, Sufal Chakma, Sujan Bikash Chakma, and Ukyanu Marma. Through their brushstrokes, they brought to Dhaka the essence of hill life — lush green landscapes, stories of shifting cultivation (jhum), everyday livelihoods, and the cultural diversity of indigenous communities.
The camp was open to the public, drawing in art lovers and well-wishers who engaged warmly with the artists. Among them were Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of Nagorik Uddyog; indigenous rights activist Dipayon Khisa; and Bangladesh Youth Union President Khan Asaduzzaman Masum. They expressed solidarity with the young talents, offering encouragement and reflections on the importance of cultural expression.
Zakir Hossain called for financial incentives from the government to nurture hill artists. Dipayon Khisa stressed the need for continuity in such initiatives, while Khan Asaduzzaman Masum termed the camp “a noble effort to highlight cultural diversity through art.”
Echoes of the Hills was more than an exhibition; it was a bridge, connecting the spirit of the Chittagong Hill Tracts with Dhaka’s bustling heart, and reaffirming art as a powerful medium of cultural dialogue.
