The month-long '6th National Sculpture Exhibition 2024', organised by the Fine Arts Department of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), began on Saturday.

One of the flagship events of BSA, the sculpture exhibition was inaugurated by Sharmin S Murshid, adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs.

Eminent sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan, Director General of Bengal Foundation Luva Nahid Chowdhury, and Chittagong University teacher-sculptor Atiqul Islam were present as special guests.

The chairman's speech was delivered online by the BSA Director General Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed, while Mustafa Zaman, Director of the Fine Arts Department, delivered the welcome speech at the event.

The first sculpture exhibition was organized in 1982 by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy with the aim of continuously encouraging and developing the practice of sculpture.

This year, the number of participating artists is 216, and 178 works of art in different categories by 159 artists are being exhibited.

A total of 13 awards, including 10 honorary awards, were presented at the inaugural ceremony. This time, the 6th National Sculpture Award went to Dr Azharul Islam Sheikh Chanchal, the second prize went to Abdul Khalek Chowdhury, and the third place went to Bilash Mondal.

Among the recipients of honorary awards are Asim Halder Sagar, Rupam Roy, Alok Kumar Sarkar, Abu Sadayat Md. Sohel, Amit Koch, Asfiqur Rahman, Syed Tarique Rahman, Habiba Akhtar Papia, Kanak Kumar Pathak and Srabanti Meherun.

At the same time, a multimedia 360-degree VR (Virtual Reality) version of the exhibition was also inaugurated at Gallery 05 of the Academy's National Art Gallery building under the management of the BSA Production Department.

The exhibition is open to everyone and will run at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy from December 21, 2024 to January 20, 2025, daily from 11 am (3 pm on public holidays) to 8 pm.