No ‘Zainul Mela’ Held at the Faculty of Fine Arts, ‘Zainul Award’ Not Presented

Citing political instability and lack of preparation, the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka held this year’s birth anniversary celebration of the eminent artist Zainul Abedin on a limited scale. Instead of the usual three-day event, the celebration was conducted in a single day. This year, the well-known ‘Zainul Mela’ was not organized, nor was the ‘Zainul Award’ presented.

Professor Md. Azharul Islam Sheikh, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, stated that the prolonged closure of the university made it impossible to prepare for the Zainul Mela this year. He said, “Students from all departments usually create various artworks to participate in Zainul Mela. Due to the university being closed, preparation was not possible. Therefore, the decision was made to cancel the fair this year.” For the same reason, the ‘Zainul Award’ will not be presented this year.

Regarding the scaled-down nature of the celebration, the Dean added, “Normally, the event spans three days. This year it was held in one day, so naturally the scope has been reduced.”

A faculty member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that although preparations for Zainul Mela were initially underway, the recent political unrest led to the decision to cancel it. He added, “Zainul Mela had been organized regularly since 2009. This year marks the first break in that continuity.”

On Monday, a limited program was held throughout the day for ‘Zainul Birth Anniversary 2025’. The schedule included a wreath-laying ceremony at the artist’s grave at 10 a.m., an exhibition of faculty artworks at 11 a.m., and a commemorative lecture at 12 p.m.

In previous years, Zainul Mela brought vibrant folk art performances to the Faculty of Fine Arts campus. Folk artists from across the country would showcase clay dolls, shola flowers and birds, scroll paintings, nakshi kantha, and various handicrafts. Activities such as bioscope screenings added a unique cultural atmosphere to urban life. None of these activities were held this year.

Artist Zainul Abedin is a pioneer of the modern art movement in Bangladesh. Through his artworks, he demonstrated that painting can serve as a language of protest, rights, and freedom. Born on December 29, 1914, in Mymensingh, he passed away from lung cancer on May 28, 1976.