Artist Kalidas Karmakar was not only a great printmaker and prolific artist in Bangladesh, but also a great admirer, preacher and well-wisher of modern arts. He will forever live through all of his majestic creations- said speakers at a memorial seminar on Tuesday arranged by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Jointly organized by BSA and Bangladesh Charushilpi Sangshad, the memorial seminar was attended by well-wishers of the recently deceased art maestro.

Several speakers expressed their emotional memoirs and reminisced about incidents and experiences with Kalidas, in their speeches at the event.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's Director Liaquat ali Lucky, Kalidas's elder daughter Kanka Karmakar, former Foreign Secretary Waliur Rahman, Artist Hashem Khan, Dramatist Ramendra Majumdar, Kalidas's brother Dilip Karmakar, Cosmos Gallery's Executive Artistic Manager Sourav Chowdhury, Artist Md Yunus, Charushilpi Sangshad's Vice President artist Jahid Mustafa, artist Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's Fine Arts director artist Ashraful Alam Poplu and other honorary speakers expressed their memories on artist Kalidas Karmakar's life and his influences in Bangladeshi modern art and culture.

"My father was a great admirer of modern arts. Till his death, he tried to represent Bangladesh as a great country of modern arts and he always wanted a museum of modern art in the country where the artists get their deserving honor for their incredible artworks,``said Kanka Karmakar, the elder daughter of Kalidas.

Gallery Cosmos's Executive Artistic Manager Sourav Chowdhury said "Kalidas was a man of love and energy. He was a family member of our Cosmos family and a founding father-figure of our Gallery Cosmos. He will always be remembered for the excellence he held inside his energetic mind and soul."

Remembering his influential role, BSA Director Liaquat Ali Lucky proposed to name an award in honor to him at the Asian Biennale, a festivity actively participated by the artist over the years since its very beginning. He also proposed a memorial book where his friends, students, contemporary artists and admirers can express their memories and gratitude to the great artist.

Hosted by Art Critic Moinuddin Khalid, the event also saw the presence of family members of the artist including his other daughter Keya Karmakar, brother Prashanta Karmakar and several prominent artists of the country.

The legendary artist breathed his last on 18 October 2019.