US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R. Miller has visited the ongoing two-month long group art exhibition titled "Sheikh Hasina: On the Right Side of History" and appreciated the artists for taking forward the history of this "extraordinary country".

"I think the timing is perfect," said Ambassador Miller, mentioning the birth centenary celebrations of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh's independence.

Deputy Managing Director of Cosmos Group Masud Jamil Khan, former diplomats, including Tariq Ahmad Karim, who is currently Director of the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies at the Independent University and Honorary Advisor Emeritus of Cosmos Foundation, WildTeam CEO Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam and Associated Press (AP), Dhaka Bureau Chief Julhas Alam were present.

Welcoming the US Ambassador on January 16, Masud Khan said, "The USA is our true and tested friend ...we see our relationship with the USA from a long-term and strategic view."

Masud Khan briefed the Ambassador about the art exhibition and said each and every art piece here is unique and special in its own way.

"Art may not be essential to our day-to-day survival but it'll be in the long run to the survival of society and culture," Masud Khan said, adding that the exhibition is part of the year-long programme to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud formally inaugurated the group art exhibition on December 15, 2020.

Gallery Cosmos in collaboration with the Cosmos Atelier71 recently hosted an art camp supported by the Cosmos Foundation on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu.

Artists Alakesh Ghosh, Ahmed Shamshuddoha, Sheikh Afzal, Nasir Ali Mamun, Bishwajit Goswami, Ratneshwar Shutradhar, Rasel Kanti, Monjur Rashid, Sourav Chowdhury, Maneek Bonik, Jayanta Sarkar, Azmol Hossain, Fida Hossain, Amit Nandi, Didarul Limon, Tamanna Afroz, Fahim Chowdhury, Miskatul Abir, Proshun Halder, Hasura Akter Rumky and Surovi Akter had participated in the camp.

The artworks produced at the camp are being showcased at the exhibition. The exhibition will remain open till February 12, 2021 at Cosmos Centre and can only receive 20 visitors at any one time.

The US Ambassador, accompanied by his son Andrew Miller, visited different wings of the Cosmos Group at Cosmos Centre, including UNB newsroom and the offices of WildTeam and AP. He thanked the Cosmos Group for the invitation and hospitality.

Earlier, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson and Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan visited the art exhibition.

Visitors have been advised to wear masks all the time while visiting the exhibition and maintain appropriate distance from each other.