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The 33rd anniversary of the death of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin will be observed today.
   Several socio-cultural organisations have chalked up various programmes, including discussions and drawing competitions for children, to mark the occasion.
   Zainul Shishu Niketan and Desh TV will hold an art camp for children at the fine arts faculty in Dhaka University today.
   The programme, Desh Shishu Kishore Art Camp, will begin at 2:00pm and it will continue till 6:00pm. About 500 children have been selected for the competition, said the organisers.
   Actor Assudzzaman Nur, artist Hashem Khan, Shishir Bhattacharya will attend the camp as guests.
   Zainul Abedin was born on December 29, 1914 in Kishoreganj. His father, Tamijuddin Ahmed, was a police subinspector.
   In 1930, Abedin left home without informing his parents and went to Kolkata with his friends to visit the Government School of Arts.
   He got himself admitted at the school in 1936 before completing his matriculation. He stayed there in one of his relation’s housel, but after some days, he left the house and spent two nights in a mosque. Later, he managed a place in a boarding house on Wellesley Lane in Kolkata.
   As a student of the Government School of Arts, he studied the western academic style of drawing, watercolour, oil and printmaking. Then he drew the picturesque views of Dumka in Bihar and Mymensingh of the then East Bengal, now Bangladesh.
   Zainul was recruited as a teacher when he was a student of the final year of the school in 1938. He received the governor’s gold medal for his landscapes in the All India Art Exhibition held on the school premises in the year. His drawings on the Bengal famine, in 1943, were displayed, first, in an exhibition on famine in Kolkata in 1944. The Communist Part of India organised the exhibition.
   He took part in the art exhibition by Muslim students at the Islamia College in Kolkata in 1946. He also attended the exhibition of Indian artists at Burlington in London.
   After the India’s partition in 1947, he migrated to Dhaka and joined as an art teacher the Normal School at Armanitola in Dhaka. He worked for the establishment of the Government Institute of Arts and became its ‘principal designated’ in 1948.
   Most of the pieces of the famine series are kept in the Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh and other works of Zainul are on display at the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala in Mymensingh.
   Zainul was involved in all stages of the movement that led to the creation of Bangladesh. He was in the forefront of the cultural movement to re-establish the Bengali identity, marginalised by the Pakistan government. In 1969, Abedin painted a scroll using Chinese ink, watercolour and wax named Nabanna.
   In 1975, he founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, near Dhaka, and Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala, a gallery of his own works, in Mymensingh. ‘Two Faces’ was his last painting, done shortly before his death.
   Abedin had suffered from lung cancer and died on May 28, 1976 at the PG Hospital (now BSMMU) in Dhaka.

The launching ceremony of ‘Bhatir Purush’, a documentary by Shakoor Majid featuring the life and music of the legendary folk singer Shah Abdul Karim, was held on Wednesday at Shahid Zia Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. The programme was organised by Laser Vision.
   Minister for Education Nurul Islam Nahid was present as the chief guest while noted actor Mamunur Rashid and eminent music personality Professor Mridul Kanti Chakrobarty were present as special guests. The chairman of Laser Vision, A K M Arifur Rahman, presided over the event.
   The function started with the screening of the documentary ‘Bhatir Purush’. A boy named Abdul Karim was born in a low land area in Sunamganj of the then greater Sylhet district of Bangladesh almost hundred years ago. His parents could not afford to send him in a school. But the boy had started to learn from his surroundings—water, boat, nature and people and in course of time, the boy turned himself into a living legend named Shah Abdul Karim.—this was the beginning of the documentary.
   Praising the documentary of Shakoor Majid, the chief guest Nurul Islam Nahid said, ‘I hope Shakoor will continue this type of work.’
   Mamunur Rashid said that Sunamganj was once rich for its traditional cultural activities but unfortunately the richness has gradually been declining. He also said that Shah Abdul Karim is an example of the cultural richness of the area.
   ‘I congratulate Shakoor on his work on Shah Abdul karim because this is the first work on him.’ said Dr. Mridul Kanti Chakrobarty.
   Shakoor Majid started making of the documentary in 2002. To express his feelings Shakoor said, ‘I feel proud because I can screen the film which is a result of six years’ hard work.’ He also told the media that he would make an international version of the film under the title of ‘Saint of Water’.

A two-week solo art exhibition ‘Pathos’ by Ranjit Das will begin today at 6:00pm at the Gallery of Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi.
   The organisers informed the media at a press conference at Bengal Shilpalaya on Wednesday.
   Artist Ranjit Das and director of the Bengal Shilpalaya Subir Chowdhury, among others, were present at the briefing.
   Eminent educationist Dr Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir will inaugurate the show as chief guest while director of Square Anjan Chowdhury will be present as special guest.
   The artist will display 43 of his artworks. The show will remain open from 12:00noon to 8:00pm till June 10.

Possessions that belonged to Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe are to be auctioned in Las Vegas.
   Personal effects including Monroe’s receipts for alcohol and Presley’s pill bottles are among the lots up for sale.
   Monroe’s bath robe - purported to be the last item of clothing that she wore - has a guide price of up to $6,000 at the auction.
   The event, which includes a whole host of celebrity memorabilia, takes place on the 26 and 27 June.
   A number of items from Monroe’s final home in California, including two bricks from the house and furnishings are also among the lots.
   Medical paraphernalia from Elvis Presley’s doctor is also listed in the Julien’s Auctions catalogue, including a nasal douche and his leather bag.
   A chunky lapis stone ring that belonged to the musical star is expected to fetch $20,000.
   A number of photographic images of actress Monroe are in the sale, along with a fur stole - a garment which became closely associated with the screen star.
   The minutiae of her life, including signed cheques and a newspaper bill, will also be made available to bidders.

The queen of Lalon songs Farida Pervin will perform Lalon songs tonight at 11:00pm on RTV. Though Farida Pervin started learning music with Nazrul sangeet, she has now been completely devoted her life to study Lalon. This award winning singer of the mystic songs will sing ‘Satya bol supathe chol’, ‘Khanchar bhitor acchin pakhi’, amd others.

The final round of the competition ‘Rupchanda Hari Karai Ranna Larai’ will be telecast live on Channel-i at 7:50pm. The finalists are Maysa and Anika. One of them, after winning the competition will get Tk. 1, 00,000 as prize money while the runner-up will receive a refrigerator as prize. Educationist and noted writer Abdullah Abu Sayeed will be present as guest judge. The programme is hosted and directed by Farzana Brownia.

Book Fair
   Weeklong Nazrul Granthamela
   Organised by the ministry of cultural affairs
   Time: 10:00am to 7:00pm
   Date: May 25 to May 31
   Venue: Central Public Library
   Shahbagh, Dhaka
   
   Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti Boimela
   Organised by Muktadhara
   Time: 10:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: May 14 to May 28
   Venue: Central Public Library
   Shabagh, Dhaka
   
   Exhibitions
   18th National Art Exhibition
   Organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Time: from 11:00am to 7:00pm (Friday 3:00pm to 8:00pm)
   Date: From May 25 to June 7
   Venue: National Art gallery
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   Pathos
   By Ranjit Das
   Time: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: May 28 to June 10
   Venue: Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts
   House 275/F, Road 27 (old),
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   Achin Pakhi
   By Aforja Jamil
   Time: 11:00am to 11:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 31
   Venue: Bay’s Gallery
   54 Gulshan Avenue,
   Gulshan 1, Dhaka
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   People of My Country
   By Bipad Bhanjan Sen Karmaker
   Time: from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 5:00pm to 9:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 28
   Venue: Alliance Française
   26 Mirpur Road,
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Theatre
   A play
   By Nagarik Natyangan
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: National Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Araj Charitamrita
   By Natya Kendra
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Experimental Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Kanya Prakiti
   By Natya Thirtha
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium
   Bangladesh Mahila Samity
   Bailey Road, Dhaka
   
   Films
   Homeland
   Time: 5:00pm
   Venue: Goethe-Institut Dhaka,
   House 10, Road 9 (new)
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Cinema at Star Cineplex
   Monpura
   Forbidden Kingdom
   Rambo 4
   Chandra Grahan
   Basundhara City Shopping
   Mall, Panthapath,
   Dhaka