A seven-day Sultan Mela honouring world famous artist SM Sultan was inaugurated at the Sultan Mancha on the premises of Narail Government Victoria College yesterday.
Deputy Speaker of the parliament M Fazle Rabbi attended the inauguration ceremony as chief guest while Narail-2 constituency’s MP Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, Superintendent of Police Sardar Rakibul Islam, Government Victoria College’s Principal Professor Sheikh Anwar Hossen, Mayor Zahangir Biswas, Dr Susanta Kumar Adhikary, Sultan Foundation Member Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Miku were present as special guests.
Deputy Commissioner and president of SM Sultan foundation Helal Mahmud Sharif presided over the inaugural session.
The SM Sultan foundation and the district administration jointly arranged the fair to mark the birth anniversary of the famous artist.
‘Sultan Padak’ will be given in the concluding day. Artist Abdul Mannan will be given the padak this year.
State Minister for youth and sports Biren Shikder is expected to attend the concluding ceremony as chief guest.
A total of 100 stalls offering traditional textile and cottage industry products are set up at the venue.
Legendary artist Sultan 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. Sultan died on 10 October, 1994 and was buried in the yard of his own house at Masumdia village in Narail.
His very simple but highly philosophic artworks mostly about nature and the people of Bangladesh later became one of the prime sources of inspiration for the new generation of painters.