Bengal Architecture Symposium 01: Now/Next - Abul Khair Litu

Opening remarks by Abul Khair Bengal Architecture NOW/NEXT Symposium

Mr Abul Khair starts his remarks by greeting everyone present on stage during the event. He quickly addresses the support he received throughout his endeavour with Bengal Foundation from Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and the influence Fazle Hasan Abed has had on him. He then elaborates the reason behind setting up Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements and his vision of building a liveable and sustainable Bangladesh. Mr Abul Khair is one of the most known entrepreneurs of Bangladesh, who is not only known widely for spearheading the Bengal Foundation, but also for his vast involvement and promotion of Bangladeshi art and culture. As part of his endeavour to promote and showcase Bangladeshi art on a larger platform, Abul Khair set up the Bengal Foundation in 1986, of which he is still the chairperson. In the course of its work, the Foundation has been abetted by an enlightened body of creative thinkers and its work now encompasses almost all forms of visual and performing arts. Music and painting, however, remain its central concern. The Bengal Group and has played a premium role in the cultural arena of Bangladesh. Mr Abul Khair also established the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in the year 2000. It is one of the earliest professionally run art galleries in Bangladesh and is also the largest private one. He has also founded a number of specialized publications to promote Bangladeshi art and culture, including quarterly arts publication called Jamini, as well as the literary magazine Kali O Kalam. Other publications include a cultural events bulletin Bengal Barota and Bengali art quarterly called Shilpa O Shilpi. He also gives great exposure to traditional culture through his lifestyle glossies, Charbela Chardik and ICE Today, and ICE Business Times, a Bangladeshi business magazine. Watch the entire Symposium at http://bit.ly/NowNext

Originally recorded on 18th March 2016 at KIB Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Organized by Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements in association with the Bengal Foundation.

©Bengal Foundation 2016