‘Country’s first drawing school can’t be closed’

Khulna Bureau

“The country’s first drawing education institution cannot be destroyed in the name of development. People of Khulna will protect it even through agitation. A commitment to reform and a conspiracy to break it by the committee will not be tolerated. It should be investigated in whose interest they are being destroyed. We have already lost hundred years of heritage Town Hall, Dak Bungalow building, Post Master General’s Office, the memorial of the liberation war, Circuit House Torture Centre, Coronation Hall in front of Centenary Theater Niketan and the country’s first art school established in 1904 by Shashibhushan Pal, the pioneer of Bangladeshi art. People who love history cannot accept it. We want these histories and traditions to be preserved as archeological artifacts.

So, we want this historic building to be preserved by the Archeology Department,” said the speakers on Saturday at a human chain which was held on the initiative of Jana Udyog Khulna, Gunijan Smriti Parishad and Charushilpi Sangsad, demanding the preservation of the country’s first art institution ‘Maheswarpasha School of Art’ and artist Shashibhushan Pal at the Picture Palace intersection of the city.

AFM Mohsin, a civil society leader and valiant freedom fighter, presided over and journalist Gaurang Nandi, Kaler Kantha Khulna Bureau chief, moderated the programme.

Among others, former president of the Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Advocate Mina Mizanur Rahman, CPB Metropolitan President Mizanur Rahman Babu, Workers’ Party Metropolitan President Mofidul Islam, Awami League Leader Birendra Nath Ghosh, Poultry Fish Feed Shop Owners’ Association General Secretary SM Sohrab Hossain, Khulna Development Forum Co-Chairperson Dr. Mosaddek Hossain Bablu, leader of National Human Rights Unit and Treasurer of Mahanagar Puja Udjapan Parishad Ratan Kumar Nath, Director of Khulna Art School Bidhan Chandra Roy, Prashant Das of Charushilpi Sangsad, Mahbub Alam Badsha of Chaya Brikkha, journalist M Saiful Islam, Basod’s A. Karim, Nurunnahar Lily of Udyam, Student Union’s Metropolitan President Archishman Debnath, General Secretary Joy Vaidya, Advocate AFM Muktakuzzaman Mukta, M A Sadi, Indranil Debnath, Piku Kumar Bachhar of Aparajita Juba Kalyan Sangstha, and Tushar Kumar Sardar. Mahendranath Sen, member secretary of Jana Udyog delivered the welcome speech.

The speakers said, “In 1974, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and Poet Jasimuddin gave this institution the status of the first art education institution in Bangladesh. Artist SM Sultan visited this institution at various times. In 1920, the Maharaja of Burdwan Bijoy Chand Maharaj Bahadur visited the school after its establishment. He highly praised the school. In July 1922, the then Governor of Bengal Lord Lytton visited this school. He was very happy to see the school. Governor Lord Lytton later directed Lord Ronald Say and Khulna District Magistrate to inspect the school. Even today, it stands as a witness of the times.”