Artists can play a vital role in protecting the environment while public art can ensure coexistence of ideas in a democratic society following the student-led mass uprising, said speakers at an event on Wednesday.
They also vented resentment that industrialists should not destroy the environment by throwing industrial wastes in the name of economic growth.
They made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a daylong art camp titled 鈥楤uriganga River to Turag River: Watercolor on River and Life鈥� organised by Nature-based Organisation for National and Global Oceanic and Riverine Resources Trust (NONGOR) at Ashulia Landing Station at Dhour in the capital.
Dhaka North City Corporation administrator Mohammad Ejaz inaugurate the art camp while river and transportation researcher Tofail Ahmed, Buriganga Mancha convener Rashed Ali, researcher Airin Sultana, artist-curator Shohag Parvez and Nongor trust chairmen Shuman Shams spoke at the event participated by 30 young artists.
Mohammad Ejaz said that in Dhaka city, the drain water should not pass through to the canal because of seven canals connected to the rivers around the city.
鈥楾he city was formed unplanned as the rain water cannot pass to the rivers which created waterlogging during the rainy season while for the lack of proper drainage system, some low-land areas of the city suffer water stagnation,鈥� Mohammad Ejaz said, adding that water bodies of the city need to be protected from filling for housing and industry.
Mohammad Ejaz also said that consensus of every stakeholder of the city is needed to save the environment because the environment is not replaceable. 聽
Tofail Ahmed said that artists can impact a lot in creating awareness to protect the environment and he hoped art activities would increase to make a city worth living.
Shuman Shams said that every political party must include environmental issues in their manifestos. 聽 聽 聽
Curator of the camp, Shohag Parvez said that if the environment of the city is not good, none can lead a healthy life, adding, 鈥楧iverse nature of Bangladesh is reflected in our art and literature. But now the city environment is being polluted much resulting in the river to become a big drain and leaving air quality too unhealthy.鈥�
Artist Chandra Shekhor Roy, Preety Kona Deb, Zahid Khan, Sonya Binte Hasan and Manashi Banik, among others, participated in the camp and their artworks will be exhibited soon.
