Staff Reporter: The prize-giving ceremony of the Bashundhara Public School and College Art Competition 2025, the country's largest school-level art contest, was held on Saturday at the capital's International Convention City Bashundhara.

The mega art competition was held on 12 December last year, drawing unprecedented participation from students across the country.

Organised under the theme “The Liberation War of 1971 and the July Mass Uprising,” the competition saw a total of 5,871 students take part. A jury board comprising renowned artists selected 143 winners from among the participants.

According to the authorities of Bashundhara Public School and College, more than 9,000 students from educational institutions in Dhaka and other parts of the country had registered for the competition. For the first time, the event witnessed an overwhelming response not only in registration but also in physical participation.

The competition was held in three categories: students from classes III to VI in the first category, classes VII to X in the second and students with special needs in the third.

By bringing together depictions of two pivotal chapters of national history – the Liberation War of 1971 and the 2024 Mass Uprising – young artists expressed their creativity on a single canvas.

The event marked a historic milestone as the largest drawing competition ever organised at the school level in Bangladesh.

According to source, Eminent artist Monirul Islam, recipient of Spain’s state honour and head of the jury board, attended the programme as the chief guest. YeashaSobhan, Vice Chairman of Safwan Bashundhara Global (SBG), graced the programme as the special guest, while EkusheyPadak-winning artist Professor Dr Farida Zaman was also present among the jury members.

Speaking on the occasion, Yeasha Sobhan said, “Children can do wonders if they are given a little opportunity. We will continue such initiatives in the future and every December, we will organise similar programmes focusing on important chapters of the country’s history.”

Monirul Islam described the event as a memorable chapter in the country’s history, praising its organisation and highlighting the innocence and unique expression reflected in children’s artwork.

Brig Gen (retd) MdAnisur Rahman, principal of Bashundhara Public School and College, said that the initiative was not merely a competition but a sincere effort to awaken national history in the artistic consciousness of the present and future generations.