Week-long Sultan Mela starts in Narail

Left: Traditional bullfight; Right: Enthusiastic people at the fair. Inset: SM Sultan. Photo: STAR

Marking the 88th birth anniversary of internationally noted artist SM Sultan, Sultan Mela-2013 began at Sultan Moncho premises in Narail on January 13.
Jointly organised by the SM Sultan Foundation and the district administration, the fair is being sponsored by Grameen Phone and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
The programme features an art competition, exhibition, discussion attended by eminent artists and renowned personalities of the country, conferring of the Sultan Award, bull fight, horse race, Jari Gaan, Kobi Gaan, Lathi Khela, wrestling, recitation, theatre, traditional games and more every night.
The fair was inaugurated by Munnujan Sufian, State Minister for Labour and Empowerment. Also present at the inaugural programme as special guests were Md. Serajul Islam, Additional Divisional Commissioner of Khulna; Advocate Subhash Bose, Administrator, Zila Parishad, Narail; Sardar Rokibul Islam, Police Superintendent, Narail; Shorif Humayun Kobir, Sadar Upazila Chairman; Ashikur Rahman Miku, member secretary of Sultan Foundation; Borun Biswas, principal, Narail Victoria College; Mainul Islam, territory officer, Grameen Phone. Md. Zohirul Haque, Deputy Commissioner of Narail, presided over the inaugural programme.
On January 19, Mihir Kanti Mojumdar, secretary, Ministry of Cooperative, will be chief guest at the fair and hand over the Sultan Award to Hamiduzzaman Khan, former Professor of Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts.
Sultan Mancho premises and Shishu Swarga, of Masimdia village, are wearing a festive look on the occasion. There are about 100 stalls at the fair.
Md. Zohirul Haque, DC of Narail and President of Sultan Foundation, told The Daily Star that the fair this year is a class apart. He added that about 40 cultural organisations would perform at musical soirees in the fair.
The fair is a fitting tribute to the legendary artist SM Sultan. Sultan's paintings have been exhibited alongside Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, George Braque and Paul Klee. He was honoured with Ekushey Padak (1982) and Independence Award (1993) for his outstanding contribution to Bangladeshi arts. According to art critics, Sultan was perhaps the most enigmatic painter of contemporary Bangladesh. He died on October 10, 1994.