Twelve-day long ‘Sultan Mela’ with art exhibition in remember of 95th birth anniversary of world renowned artist SM Sultan was inaugurated at Sultan Mancha premises of Narail Government Victoria College ground on Thursday. This year the fair was dedicated to Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Dr. Mohammad Anwar Hossain Howlader was attended the inauguration ceremony as chief guest while Khulna Range Police DIG Dr. Kha. Mohid Uddin was present as special guest in the session. Deputy Commissioner of Narail, Kazi Mahbubur Rashid presided over the inaugural programme. Narail Zila parishad chairman Advocate Shorab Hossain Biswas, Police Super Md Jashim Uddin, Principal of Government Victoria College Md.Rabiul Islam, Chamber of commerce president Md. Hasanuzzaman were attended as special guests.
Sources said, Sultan Padak will be given on 27 January at the concluding day. Every day seminar on the life and philosophy of the artist SM Sultan would be held at Sultan Mancha. A total of 100 stalls with traditional textile and cottage industry products up for sale. Artist Sultan was born at Masumdia village under Narail sadar upazila of a poor family on 10 august, 1924.
His artworks were shown in Simla of India in 1946 and in Lahore and Karachi in 1948-49 and paintings were exhibited in New York, Boston, London and Michigan University in 1959. He joined the International conference of painters in America in 1950 as the representative of the then Pakistan government.
Sultan, a legendary artist of Bangladesh won Ekushey Padak in 1982,Bangladesh Charu Shilpi Sangsad Award in 1986 and Swadhinata Padak in 1993.He was declared the Man of Asia in 1982 by Cambridge University and Bangladesh government declared him as resident of artist in 1984. Sultan died in Jashore combined Military Hospital on 10 October, 1994.