Subir Chowdhury passes away

Reputed artist and director of Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Subir Chowdhury passed away yesterday in Sydney, Australia. The 61-year-old artist succumbed to neurological cancer.
Chowdhury was a renowned name in the country's art arena. He dedicated his lifetime to revive the art movement in Bangladesh and arranged a number of exhibitions both at home and abroad. The organiser played a significant role in arranging the Asian Art Biennale in Dhaka.
The artist, along with a 10-member group went to Australia on March 16 to arrange exhibitions in three Australian cities. He suddenly fell sick during the inauguration programme of an exhibition in Canberra. He was admitted to Westmead Hospital in Sydney for treatment.
Chowdhury was born in 1953 in Jamalpur. Apart from his contributions to art, he actively participated in major political movements, especially the Liberation War. He did his graduation from the Institute of Fine Arts, DU in 1974, and the next year, took charge as Assistant Director of the Fine Art Department of Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy. In 2004, he joined Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts and later became its director, and a trustee of Bengal Foundation.