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Women's simplicity, struggle portrayed
Dyuti Monishita
Artist Maksudul Ahsan is currently hosting his eighth art exhibition at the Shilpangan art gallery in Dhanmondi. The exhibition is called 'Drohe Nari Nirbane Nari', and as the name suggests, his subject this time is women. His work mostly consists of portraits of women of different social backgrounds and time and age. 'I believe that I have a social commitment. My work is about the repressed, and women are a huge part of the repressed' says Maksudul Ahsan. He continues to say, 'and my work is all about people because life is nothing without people. I see people from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep.'
Of the 40 paintings that are displayed in the exhibition, many are of historically and socially prominent women such as Begum Roquiah, Sufia Kamal, Mother Teressa, Kalpona Dutt, Ila Mitra, Jahanara Imam, Preetylata Wddedar, Novera Ahamed, Shamsunnahar Mahmud and Bonolota Dashgupta, some of whom are less known. Paintings of these women are assembled in the 'Shashwotee' series.
Women portrayed in other paintings vary from an ordinary village girl who is making herself beautiful (Amiyo Shundor) to a young girl who has been married off to a man much too old for her (Ashamo Bandhon) and a little girl who became a bride before she could become a woman (Balyo Badhu). But one of the most memorable paintings is of Mother Teressa where she emerges from the dark, only her visage and her clasped hands are visible. The artist's message is very clear - mankind is in darkness and someone is praying for us in the darkness. The other very memorable paintings include 'Gadhuliborna', 'Mayabi Adhora', 'Gayer Bodhu' and 'Poshariny'. 'Poshariny' is a painting of four prostitutes consumed with the desire of making themselves look alluring and beautiful. Despite the stigma that attaches to prostitutes, Maksudul Ahsan was able to bring forth their beauty and elegance.
The exhibition is absolutely a pleasure to the eyes. The fact that one does not have to think too much about what the artist is trying to say is refreshing as opposed to the contemporary-trend methods used by modern artists. To this, the artist said that he believes in simplicity because in a country where people are still not well educated, or in most cases not educated at all, why use unnecessary details to confuse them when messages can be delivered to them in simple terms. He says that if an artist cannot do his or her job properly, it might end up looking like posters, and not an art. The exhibition will continue till the 21st of September, from 12:00pm to 8:00 pm.
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Boishakhi TV adds new programmes
Cultural Correspondent
Private television channel Boishakhi has added a slew of new programmes to be aired from Friday for attracting viewers of all ages and choices.
Chief executive director of the channel M Hamid unveiled their expansion and diversification plan at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka Wednesday.
New programmes include a programme on daily events- Din Protidin to be aired at 8.00 am everyday and a magazine show for children - Hoi Choi Hurre at 5.00 pm every Thursday.
Other programmes are Saat Samudra, a fortnightly discussion on world literature at 11.25 pm on Sunday, talk show Tero Nodi Tarar Aloy at 7.45 pm on Thursdays, street show Dur Durante at 7.45 pm on Mondays, fun show Kemon Kore Holo at 7.15 pm on Tuesdays and family game show Boukotha at 7.15 pm on Thursdays.
The channel has also readied a number of new drama serials like Bini Sutar Mala at 9.15 pm on every Saturday, Nagar Dola at 9.15 pm on every Sunday, Thikana at 9.15 pm on every Wednesday.
It will also air a regular weekly event on cuisine at 7.45 on every Friday.
'Local television channels are playing an effective role
in protecting the country's
culture and heritage from
the aggression of foreign channels.'
Hamid said, 'We will bring some changes to our news presentation and introduce English news soon.'
The channel will also begin its talent search programmes in dance, acting and music soon.
Boishakhi executives Sakhawat Hossain, Hasina Ahmed, Mosharraf Hossain Chowdhury and news editor Amirul Islam were present at the press conference.
There are nine private satellite channels are in operation now. Boishakhi launched airing its programme on December 27, 2006.
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Poor standard of Bangladeshi films: Search for a remedy
Farida Shaikh
[Continued from previous issue]
Generally the decade of 1960s ushered in the permissive revolution in the Western countries, which infiltrated very rapidly many other countries; particularly the countries of South- East Asia. In Bangladesh, the spread of permissiveness was like the wild fire. Such expressions invaded the spoken language, the colloquial expression in a large section of the population. Ordinary discourse consisted of vulgar expressions, more so among the peer groups. Obscene words and phrases became an integral part of conversation. Vulgar vernacular as a style permeated all strata of society.
Closely related to language is dress or clothes that a person wears. The language and the dress together combined to produce 'youth culture'. Clearly characterised by self-consciousness and defiance of over-protectiveness of adult expression. By disagreeing with the plain and simple look of the past and preferring smart garments and self-display they disapproved the previous conventional lifestyle.
Other comparable issues are censorship-related laws and the problems of invoking the right to freedom of expression laws, because these invariably led to the invoking of other restrictions.
Censorship is also prevalent in Western countries. German filmmaker Andres Veiel was subject to intimidation and threats while making a film on Alfred Herrhausen, the chairman of Deutsche Bank, reported to be killed by the CIA, at the behest of US banks, because he wanted to waive Third World debt. The film called 'Black Box Germany' got the European Film Award for best documentary of 2001.
The roots of the problem of obscenity and vulgarity are deep. Film Censor Board needs to reflect cautiously, and then reach well thought-out conclusion.
[Concluded]
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BOOK REVIEW<>
Muslims in the contemporary world
Reviewed by Syed Badrul Haque
This book by Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed is a timely venture for a refresh thinking of the Muslim community living in the twenty-first century. It appears that the present world has been divided into camps, 'we' and 'they'. For appreciating diversity there is nothing wrong in that division but there should be no animosity between them, knowing that the world is a place for coexistence of mankind with all colours, languages and civilisations.
Today, it may seem that Muslims have been confronted from all sides. But by the same token it is now an urgent necessity for putting our own house in order. The Muslim community is paying too much attention to the rigid formalities of Islam, overlooking the inner and higher duties and obligations towards others which include people around us, not to mention the members of the family.
It just happens that in Bangladesh, the third largest Muslim country in the world, the current interim government has identified corruption as the number one enemy of the country and as such introduced various measures to fight out this contagious social disease in the country. But we need to realise that an inner solution is also necessary, removing it from heart and in this process it is also necessary to correct our notions towards following the guidance of Allah in the Qur'an.
It appears that a large section of the Muslim community is more engrossed in earning more rewards (sawab) through ritual performances although they may be unaware that they are failing to discharge their normal duties and obligations to people around them which surprisingly may even include the members of the family. Analysing the hidden cause of this malaise in a Muslim society in a sub-chapter of this book under the title "Corruption", the author expresses:
"Today some Muslim countries have been labelled as nations where corruptions prevail in the various sectors of the society and government. One of the causes might be the notion of some Muslims who think that attending mosques and performing prayers (Salat) are enough in discharging their duties to Allah so that after coming out of mosques they forget or shut their eyes regarding the commands of Allah in the matter of discharging their duties in worldly affairs as laid down in the Qur'an. The stark result is that after performing prayers (Salat), they are transformed into different persons so that when they return to their office desks or sit behind business counters, they are susceptible to taking undue monetary gains from the members of public and commit underhand dealings, falsely thinking that Allah would ignore these wrong dealings due to their supposed hardships or special circumstances."
The book has four chapters, under the titles "Man's Relation to Allah", "Family Environment", "Social Environment" and "Muslim Nation (Ummah): Challenges and Responsibilities" Rights of women under Islam seem to be a topic in which the Western world takes must interest with a view to contrasting the liberation of women in the West with their make-belief picture of oppression of Muslim women. Brushing aside any negative picture for Muslim women to enter into any skilled or learned profession, the author says:
"Bangladesh is one of the few Muslim countries to have female soldiers...Pakistan and Bangladesh produced women Prime Ministers...In some Muslim countries like Bangladesh, there are Muslim women judges in the higher courts of the country...in 1920, the first chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University in India was Sheba Hayat Jhantar Begum."
Feminism or feminist movement is certainly a Western concept. However, there is a degree how far the concept can be accommodated in other cultures like Islam. In the view of the author, "the Western concept of feminism is not acceptable in Islam as the women's roles and aspirations in sexual relationships are in sharp contrast in the two cultures. The sexual revolution during last 40 years which took place in the West, has undermined the institution of marriage and family so much that the gap in the aspirations of Muslim women and the Western women have become wider and wider. In the view of some analysts, the rise of feminism in the West has a significant part in the increase of breakdown of marriages."
Today more than 950 million Muslims live in 57 Muslim countries all over the world. It is impossible to deny that there is a big gap of communication or consultation between the people and the rulers who claim governing under the principles of Islamic administration. In this book, a reader finds the the following pen picture of the current situation in the Muslim world and how to overcome it:
"A good number of countries are ruled by kings, Amirs and Sultans, while some countries are governed by military dictators. These forms of government are totally alien to the teachings of Islam. Democracy operates only in a few countries. It is an irony that Arabia, the birth place of Prophet Muhammad (s) is now the land of kings and Amirs, remembering that he did not leave any monarchy after him. How can the Muslim nation (ummah) return to the past glory? Certainly not by retaining un-Islamic institutions like monarchy, emirates and dictatorships, which are not supported by strict principles of Islamic law. Allah has reminded Muslims that He will not change the destiny of any nation, which includes the Muslim nation (ummah) unless they change it."
It is no good for the Muslim community preaching before others that in the Qur'an, they have been accorded the position of "best nation" in the world without discharging the responsibilities associated with that high honour. In my view the author has done a valuable service to the Muslim community in dissecting the various issues dividing them and suggesting some rethinking and possible solutions.
The author, Salahuddin Ahmed, studied law at the University of Dhaka and King's College of the University of London. He is a Barrister-at-Law of Lincoln's Inn, London, a member of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia. He has taught law in the United Kingdom in the early seventies and later at the Law School of the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia for 25 years. He is a former Visiting Professor at the Law School of the University of North Carolina, United States. He is author of a number of books published from London, Sydney, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur.
Syed Badrul Haque, is a former Public Relations Officer to President, People's Republic of Bangladesh.
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