Ekushey Padak-winning eminent sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan passes away
To pay final respects to Dhaka University's Honorary Prof Hamiduzzaman Khan, his body will be brought to the Faculty of Fine Arts today at 2:30pm
Eminent Bangladeshi sculptor and artist Professor Hamiduzzaman Khan, one of the pioneers of modern sculpture in the country, passed away this morning (20 July).
He was 79.
He passed away around 10:30am at United Hospital in Dhaka, Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury told UNB.
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The sculptor had been undergoing treatment at United Hospital after being admitted last week with severe pneumonia and dengue. His condition deteriorated in recent days, and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and later placed on life support.
Doctors declared him dead after removing life support on Sunday morning.
To pay final respects to Dhaka University's Honorary Prof Hamiduzzaman Khan, his body will be brought to the Faculty of Fine Arts today at 2:30pm. After the tribute, his namaz-e-janaza will be held after Asr prayers at the Central Mosque of the univeristy, Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury and Artcon Founder ARK Reepon told UNB.
His wife Ivy Zaman earlier informed the media that he had been in ICU care for three days. A medical board was monitoring his condition since Thursday, she said.
Born on 16 March 1946, in Sahasram village of Kishoreganj, Hamiduzzaman received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1967 from the then-East Pakistan College of Arts and Crafts (now the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University).
He later earned his Master's degree from the MS University of Baroda, India, in 1976.
From 1970 to 2012, he served as a faculty member in the Sculpture Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University.
After the pioneering works of Novera Ahmed in the 1950s that ushered in modern sculpture in Bangladesh, Hamiduzzaman Khan played a significant role in expanding the medium through his distinct expressionist and minimalist approaches.
His works spanned both semi-abstract and abstract styles, combining thematic depth with experimental forms.
Renowned for his form-driven and concept-based sculptural works, one of his earliest major sculptures was 'Ekattorer Shmorone', created in 1976 in tribute to the Liberation War.
In 1988, he gained international recognition when his sculpture 'Steps' was installed at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seoul, South Korea.
His artworks - ranging from large-scale public sculptures to watercolour and acrylic paintings - reflect a deep engagement with nature and the human form.
Among his notable sculptures are 'Songshoptok' at Jahangirnagar University, 'Hamla' at Sylhet Cantonment, 'Pakhi Poribar' at Bangabhaban, and 'Shantir Payra' at Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC).
In 2017, the Bangladesh National Museum hosted a retrospective exhibition titled 'Hamiduzzaman Khan 1964–2017', showcasing his lifetime achievements.
For his contributions to sculpture, he was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2006 and received a fellowship from Bangla Academy in 2023. Besides these honors, he also received numerous awards from local and international institutions and organisations, including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Beyond sculpture, he was also a celebrated painter whose abstract expressionist watercolour and acrylic paintings often explored natural landscapes and the human body.
Legendary Bangladeshi artist Zainul Abedin once praised his watercolours in the 1960s, while Indian maestro MF Husain lauded his sculpture in a 1976 exhibition in Mumbai.
Throughout his five-decade-long career, Hamiduzzaman's works were exhibited and installed in Bangladesh, India, South Korea, Bulgaria, and the United States.
His strong presence in local galleries, including Gallery Cosmos, and his support for both emerging and established artists made him a respected figure in the art community.
Hamiduzzaman Khan married Ivy Zaman, a fellow sculptor and alumna of the Institute of Fine Arts, in 1976. They had two sons, Zubair Zaman Khan Copper and Zarif Hamiduzzaman.
Following his demise, tributes poured in from across social media, with people from all walks of life mourning the loss of the legendary artist.
