Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed praised the wall art created by students during the July-August movement, calling it a powerful way to express their feelings.
He spoke on Saturday at the opening of an exhibition featuring the vibrant paintings, which were created by young people across the country.
"Everybody knows the power of art. When I look at the wall paintings I found them most expressive, students have expressed very aptly," Dr. Salehuddin said.
The exhibition, held at Drik Path Bhaban, showcased a wide collection of wall art reflecting the hopes and dreams of youth for a brighter and more inclusive Bangladesh.
Dr. Salehuddin highlighted how important such creative expressions are for the country’s development.
He shared a personal memory from his student days, when he was active in Chhatra Union politics.
He recalled how students used to write political slogans and messages on walls to communicate their ideas.
“These are really very strong medium of expression. I remember famous painter Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. The famine he depicted with a famous piece of art and he expressed everything,” Dr. Salehuddin said.
Dr. Salehuddin also thanked the World Bank for organizing the event and spoke about how the sky symbolizes hope and a platform for sharing ideas.
"Paint the sky…to me sky is the best place to express your ideas, Sky is the medium of expression and it is the hope …. we look at the sky means things will reach to the sky and the message will go to everyone,” he said.
He encouraged the young artists, saying, “You make people aware of their duties and responsibilities,” and suggested that a book could be made featuring the selected paintings and presented to the Chief Adviser.
Dr. Salehuddin also expressed his gratitude to the youths who created the paintings, adding that their parents would be very proud of their work.
"I thank the youths who painted these paintings. Your parents would be more proud of you," he said.
The exhibition displays colorful wall paintings from young people in 12 districts, including Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Chattogram, Barishal, Cumilla, Rangpur, Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban. The artworks showcase the students` visions for the future and the issues they care most about.
The exhibition is open to the public from November 23 to November 30, 2024, and visitors can view the paintings daily from 3 pm to 8 pm.
At the opening ceremony, Dr. Salehuddin and the World Bank Country Director also launched a new publication and video related to the event.
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