Renowned artist SM Sultan 97th birth anniversary was observed in a befitting manner at his birth place in Narail on Tuesday morning maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The SM Sultan foundation and district administration jointly organised the programmes to mark the birth anniversary of the famous artist. The programmes including Quran Khani, tributes offering wreaths and to seek eternal blessings for the departed soul in Sultan grave yard, remembrance and doa-mahfil were held in the occasion.
Deputy Commissioner of Narail Md Habibur Rahman was attended the birth ceremony programmes as chief guest while Police super Prabir Kumar Roy, District Council Chairman Advocate Sohrab Hossain Biswas, Narail Municipality Mayor Anjuman Ara, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md. Fakhrul Hasan, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sadia Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police Tanzila Siddique, Additional Superintendent of Police Md. Riazul Islam were present as special guests.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Malay Kundu, secretary Sharful Alam Litu, Narail press club president Enamul Kabir Tuku, secretary Shamimul Islam Tulu, former vice-president Sultan Mahmood, Sultan Art College’s principal Anadi Bairagi among others were present in the occasion.
Sultan’s artworks were shown in Simla of India in 1946, in Lahore and Karachi in 1948-49 and paintings were exhibited in New York, Boston, London and Michigan University in 1959, long before his exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1976.
He joined the International conference of painters in America in 1950 as the representative of the then Pakistan government.
SM 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 a resident of artist in 1984.
Artist Sultan was born to a poor family at Masumdia area in Narail town on 10 August, 1924. He died in Jashore Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on October 10, 1994. He was buried at the yard of his own house of the Masumdia-Kurigram area in Narail Municipality.
