Teachers, students and alumni of Narayanganj Charukola Institute on Monday demanded the National University authorities permit the institute to run Master of Fine Arts degree course.
They made the demand during the inaugural ceremony of the seven-day Annual Art Exhibition 2025 at the institute.
They also urged the pro vice-chancellor of NU, Professor Lutfor Rahman, to take immediate action to reduce the two-year session jam at the honours level.
At the inaugural ceremony, awards were distributed among 22 winners in different categories, along with seven scholarships, privately funded by three art patron families of Narayanganj.
Dhaka University fine arts faculty dean Md Azharul Islam Sheikh attended as a special guest.
DU associate Professor Md Israfil PK, artist-activist Rafiur Rabbi and Zahirul Islam Zahir, among others, spoke at the event chaired by DU associate professor and governing body president of the institute Reza Asad Al Huda Anupam.
Narayanganj Charukola Institute principal Md Shamsul Alam Azad delivered a welcome speech at the event.
鈥楢fter completing honours from art institutes under the National University, students are not accepted by other government universities in the MFA programme. Although the NU introduced the MFA course in 2021, Narayanganj Charukola Institute did not receive permission to introduce the course,鈥� Shamsul Alam Azad said.
Reza Asad Al Huda Anupam said that the NU authorities should take immediate action to reduce two-year of session jam at the honours level at fine art institutes under it.
Lutfor Rahman said that the NU was trying to reduce session jams after the mass uprising.
鈥榃e will immediately take steps to permit the institute to introduce the MFA course,鈥� said Lutfor Rahman.
The exhibition is featuring a total of 130 artworks by 54 students.
Artists Mohammad Iqbal, Anisuzzaman and artist-activist Rafiur Rabbi selected the artworks for the exhibition and awards.
Shiv Shankar Mandal bagged the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Award, which is the grand award.
The exhibition will end on September 21.
