Khalid, Syed Abdullah
Khalid, Syed Abdullah (1942-2017) Freedom fighter, sculptor and painter. Syed Abdullah Khalid was born in an aristocratic family at Kazi-Ilias of Sylhet town in 1942. His father Syed Ahmed Mujtaba was a scholar, inquisitive and cultured man. Though his father wanted him to be a clergy, Khalid ended up being a painter and eventually a sculptor. Syed Abdullah Khalid spent his childhood and adolescence in Sylhet before moving out in pursuit of his thirst for art and craft. He started his initial education at Subidbazar in Sylhet. At his very tender age, he used to make Eid cards, birthday cards. After his matriculation from Nawabpur School, Dhaka, he was admitted to Dhaka Art College (at present, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka). He graduated from Dhaka Art College in 1969 amidst a turbulent political situation in erstwhile East Pakistan. He took part in the Liberation War as a Freedom Fighter.
Syed Abdullah Khalid is predominantly recognized for his brilliant work 'Aparajeyo Bangla', one of the most iconic sculptures in front of the Arts Building, University of Dhaka. Some of his notable works include a Shaheed Minar called 'Ankur' (The Bud) at the factory premises of Square Pharmaceuticals, a mural named 'Abahaman Bangla' inside the premises of the Bangladesh Television Center in Rampura, a monument for martyrs called 'Angikar' in Chandpur, the Shahid Minar of the University of Chittagong. His other noteworthy sculptures are 'Eternal Bengal, Dolphin and Mother and Child'.
Syed Abdullah Khalid’s solo exhibition were held three times and he was awarded first prize in the Second National Sculpture Exhibition organized by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1983. At various times, he was nominated judge by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy for national level exhibitions. In 1987, he was appointed team leader for participation in SAARC Workshop on Traditional Terracotta held in Madras, India. His works can be seen in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Prime Minister’s Residence and other important institutional and private collections.
Syed Abdullah Khalid was a Professor of Sculpture at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Chittagong till 2012. The Government of Bangladesh issued a commemorative stamp (1990–91) and a silver coin (1998) showing Syed Abdullah Khalid’s most notable sculpture, 'Aparajeyo Bangla'. He received many prestigious awards including 'Shilpakala Padak' in 2014 and 'Ekushey Padak' in 2017 for his contribution to art and sculpture.
Syed Abdullah Khalid passed away on 20 May 2017. He left behind his wife, two sons and a daughter. [Gobinda Chakraborty]
