The authorities of the Sangrahashala has undertaken a five-day programme from December 25 to 29 on the occasion.

The programmes included children's painting competition, discussion meetings, cultural functions and holding of a Zainul Fair on its campus at Shaheb Quarter Park area in the town. The cultural functions will be held at the open-air stage every afternoon.

To make the programmes a success, a preparatory meeting was held recently with Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Bakshi in the chair.

The renovated and spruced Sangrahashala on an 3.20 acre area has taken a festive look with a lush green lawn and an open air stage.

According to sources, the renovation work done by the National Museum authorities at a cost of Tk six crore and fifty thousand was started in 1992 and completed in June this year.

The project included construction of boundary walls, cottage for the artistes, open air stage, approach road, main gate, ticket counter, repair and beautification of rooms, development of the garden, installation of fire fighting equipment and purchase of accessories.

Multimedia projector and sound control system for hall room and de-humidifier for the gallery have been installed, its Deputy Curator Dr Bijoy Krishna Banik told this correspondent.

He also said that the open-air stage will be rented for cultural activities and the hall room will be rented for seminar, workshop and art exhibition.

Artists from different areas of the country will flock there with their paintings. This will give people to buy their paintings at cheaper rates, he said. The artists will also do painting work at the complex.

The Sangrahashala was inaugurated on April 15, 1975 by the then Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam.

The museum was run by a committee formed by the district administration and local elite as per an understanding with Shilpacharga Zainul Abedin, founder of the museum.

The National Museum took over its responsibilities in 1999. It started development work to make the art museum attractive for the artists, cultural activists and people.

A total of 69 articles used by the Shilparchariya contained in big glass boxes are also on display.

The articles include brush, ink-pot, spatula, scraper, a leather made portrait holder, carbon box, colour tube, colour palette, turpentine bottles, linseed oil, reed pen, spectacle, charcoal, wax, metal clip and brush holder.

"These are very valuable and we should preserve these for our future generation", said the Deputy Curator.

The works of the great artist on display include paintings on famine, a malnourished child on her mother's lap, a woman with a pitcher on her waist, portrait of Kazi Nazrul Islam, Monpura' 70 and others.

The art museum remains open from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm from Saturday to Wednesday. On Friday it remains open from 3.30 pm to 7.30 pm.

The rush of visitors has increased after the renovation, the sources said. Now, over 100 visitors from different areas of the country visit the museum.