Exhibition of paintings and write-ups on biodiversity

Artworks on display.

On the occasion of the International Day of Biological Diversity and the World Environment Day, a four-day exhibition featuring art and write-up by children began yesterday at the Drik Gallery, Dhanmondi in Dhaka. Titled “Biodiversity for Life,” the exhibition features winning paintings and write-ups from a previously held competition. Awards were given to the winning children on the inaugural day of the exhibition.
Primary and secondary level school students from different parts of the country took part in the competition. The organisers divided their project areas into six 'clusters' -- Chittagong, Satkhira, Pabna, Sylhet, Cox's Bazar and the Central Cluster that comprises the Madhupur forest region.
Participating children were asked to paint and write on environmental issues, as they expressed their thinking on one of the prime concerns of the world in different ways. The paintings highlight riverine and green Bangladesh. The children sketched woods, rivers and rural areas. Birds, animals and people get priority in the paintings. One each for arts and write-ups from the six clusters received the awards.
Winners in the painting section are: Monia Akter, Tanjina Akter Shahinur, Taspia Kanta Piata, Ayesha Khatun, Shapna Akter and Ashim Sharma.
The award-winning write-ups feature messages with calls to save the world from disasters caused from the abuse of nature. Winners in the write-up section are: Md. Atikul Islam, Shengmapro Marma, Md. Abul Kashem, Kaneez Shuborna, Md. Rafizur Rahman and Opik Dev Opi.
The exhibition has been jointly organised by the managements of two projects on environmental issues in Bangladesh -- the Wetland Biodiversity Rehabilitation Project and the Integrated Protected Area Co-management Project (IPAC). USAID, gtz, Nisharga Network and CNRS are supporting the event.
Noted media personality Aly Zaker was present at the inaugural programme. Among others, Mohammed Abdul Motaleb, chief conservator of Forests, Bangladesh Forest Department; Hans Hinrich Schnelle, First Secretary, Development Cooperation, German Embassy in Dhaka and Bob Winterbottom, chief of party, IPAC were also present at the event.
The exhibition will continue till June 9.