Bangladeshi youth decorating Durga Mandap in West Bengal

The prevailing notion that everyone appreciates the work of a genius has once again become true in Indian state of West Bengal where a famous Puja Mandap at Hooghly district is being decorated with the artwork of a talented Bangladeshi student Dipu Biswas.

Dipu Biswas started with social media where he regularly posts the photos of his sculptures on his timeline. His works attracted the attention of a professor from West Bengal. Impressed by the student's work, the professor contacted him directly and requested him to build an artwork for the decoration of a puja mandap for the upcoming Durga Puja.

Dipu, hailed from Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira district of Bangladesh, immediately became everyone's centre of attention after he agreed to do the job. He is now painstakingly carving sculptures in the Durga Mandap of Kaota Nabin Sangh in Hooghly. People from various walks of life are appreciating his work.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Dr Muhammad Yunus. Although the relationship between the two neighbouring countries stumbled at first due to the change in political landscape in Bangladesh, it is slowly becoming normal as time goes on. Eggs and onions have arrived in Bangladesh from India, while hilsa has been exported to West Bengal before Durga Puja. Meanwhile, the series between India-Bangladesh cricket team is also going on. In the meantime, Bangladeshi youth Dipu is continuing the decoration of the Durga Mandap in West Bengal's Hooghly.

Dipu Biswas is a third-year student of History Department of Government Brajlal College in Khulna. Along with studies, his interest in clay sculpture is limitless. He used to post the photos of his sculptures on social media from time to time. Impressed by his work, Assistant Professor Rangjib Roy of Nabadwip Art College in West Bengal contacted him. Dipu has come to win people's hearts with art at the request of this professor. Deepu is basically carving sculptures of mythological gods and goddesses on the walls of the mandap.

Professor Rangjib Roy told Views Bangladesh, “The work of an artist is appreciated everywhere. I found Deepu on social media. His handiwork is amazing.”

Artist Dipu Biswas said, “I came to West Bengal with a visa. I mainly work with clay, but when I came here, I saw that sculptures are being made with cement and sands. I do not have my father anymore. I live with my mother, sister and old grandmother at home. I will return home to celebrate the Durga Puja with my family.”

Kolkata’s famous artist Palash Chowdhury said, "Irrespective of the country an artist is a citizen of the whole world. People irrespective of caste, religion, or country will be fascinated by his work. Dipu is a promising artist. He will brighten the face of Bangladesh in the future.”