Culture Desk
Veteran painter Syed Jahangir, founder of the Department of Fine Arts at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, has died at the age of 83.
The renowned artist passed away at his own residence in the capital’s Mohammadpur area around 11am on Saturday, according to Dhaka University Department of Fine Arts officials.
His body was brought to the Fine Arts Department of Dhaka University on Saturday afternoon for people to pay their respects.
The deceased artist’s namaz-e-janaza was held after Asr prayers at the Dhaka University central mosque.
Jahangir, born in Satkhira in 1935, was involved with fine arts since the 1950s. He graduated in Fine Arts from the Government Art Institute of Arts and Crafts, now known as the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.
He received a Ford Foundation Fellowship and went to the US in 1958 to receive a higher education in American fine arts.
The noted artist joined Shilpakala in 1977 and served as Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director for 16 years. During his tenure the state-sponsored academy launched the Dhaka University Fine Arts Department.
On 22 February 2007, an exhibition of Jahangir was held in Chitrak Gallery along with other painters such as Nitun Kundu, Samarjit Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi, Mahmudul Haque, Hamiduzzaman Khan, and Hashem Khan.
Over his 55 year career as a painter he produced over 9000 paintings in oils, watercolors, and mixed media. Jahangir has had 35 solo exhibitions and 1 group exhibition.
Jahangir also made a notable contribution to launching the Asian Art Biennale of Bangladesh, currently the largest fine arts festival in Asia.
He won the Ekushey Padak in 1985, the second highest civilian award of Bangladesh.
He also received the Michael Madhusudan Academy Award, the Shashi Bhushan Honourable Award, the Berger Paints Award, the Hamidur Rahman Memorial Award and many others for his artistic works.
Jahangir will be laid to rest at his hometown in Satkhira.
