Today is the fourth anniversary of the death of Independence Award-winning artist and Language Movement veteran Murtaja Baseer.
Murtaja Baseer was born on August 17, 1932 on Dhaka University campus. He was the youngest son of the eminent linguist Muhammad Shahidullah.
He enrolled at Dhaka Government Institute of Art, now Dhaka University fine arts faculty, in 1949. He left the country for Paris during the War of Independence, and studied mosaic and etching at Beaux Arts in Paris.
Murtaja Baseer returned to Bangladesh in 1973 and joined as an assistant professor at Chittagong University and retired in 1998 from teaching as a professor.
The versatile painter also delved into literature and research.
His literary works include 鈥楰ancher Pakhir Gaan鈥�, 鈥楾rosrenu鈥�, 鈥楾omakei Shudhu鈥�, 鈥楨so Phire Anusuya鈥�, 鈥楽aday Elegy鈥�, 鈥楿ltramarin鈥�, 鈥楳itar Sange Char Sandhya鈥� and 鈥楢mritakshar鈥�.
He also wrote the script of Sadeq Khan鈥檚 Bangla film based on Humayun Kabir鈥檚 novel 鈥楴adi O Nari鈥� and was also its art director and chief assistant director.
He spent many years in a research work on numismatic and rock inscription titled Mudra O Shilalipir Aloke Banglar Habshi Sultan O Tatkalin Samaj, which he believed would remain for posterity.
He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1980 and Independence Award in 2019.
Murtaja Baseer passed away on August 15, 2020.
