Felicitating the rickshaw painters in Dhaka whose works have made rickshaw and rickshaw paintings recognised as the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, Bangla Academy hosted a reception ceremony on Tuesday.
The ceremony was held at the academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad (AKSB) auditorium.
Chaired by Bangla Academy president Selina Hossain, the event was joined by state minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid as the chief guest and Cultural Affairs secretary Khalil Ahmed as the special guest.
Bangla Academy director general Poet Muhammad Nurul Huda delivered the welcome address, while the first secretary of the Bangladesh Embassy in France Walid Bin Quashem and the academy’s director of Folklore Museum and Treasury Department Dr Aminur Rahman Sultan participated in the discussion.
A total of 111 rickshaw painters were awarded certificates, felicitations-memorials and Tk 10,000 (ten thousand) per person, at the event. The award and prize money were given on behalf of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs by the chief guest, special guest and president and director general of Bangla Academy.
In addition, Bangla Academy’s recent publication ‘Rickshaws and Rickshaw Art in Dhaka’ album and Dr Aminur Rahman Sultan's authored book ‘Dhaka Zilla’r Lokosangskriti’ (Folklore of the Dhaka District) was unveiled at the ceremony.
Speaking as the chief guest, KM Khalid said, “Bangladesh's rickshaw painting has gained global recognition as part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This is a remarkable honour for our country, our Bengali netizens, and the achievement of every rickshaw puller and rickshaw painter in this country - moreover, this is Bangladesh’s achievement.”
Cultural Affairs secretary Khalil Ahmad said, "In addition to the nature and public life of Bangladesh, it is important to capture the struggling history of this country, especially the portrayal of Bangabandhu in rickshaw paintings. Both the forthcoming Amar Ekushey Book Fair and the Bangladesh Pavilion of the upcoming Kolkata International Book Fair will feature our rickshaw artwork.”