This Ekushe Medalist Artist (Painter) was awarded and honoured as “Nouka Anowar” by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman when he came to close contact with the great leader.
This solitary painter not only painted boats but also many pictures of wave in the river, jungle forest, birds, wonderful sceneries of nature and life style of poor people of different casts and religions with his skilled hands of painting.
Painter Kazi Anowar Hossain was born in 1941 in the famous Kazi family of Gopalganj. His father was a police Inspector and his mother late Ohidunnessa was a housewife. He was second among 13 brothers and sisters in his early boyhood. He lived at Madaripur town with other family members although he was born in Gopalganj District. He was brought up in that beautiful town surrounded by different green forests and natural scenery.
Kazi Anowar Hossain started drawing pictures from his boyhood by painting boats of different styles and different colours. This solitary painter astonished everybody by drawing boats in the answer sheets of the Secondary School Certificate examination. Since then he painted so many nice and colourful pictures on the canvas upto his death.
Many painters and celebreties were charmed to see his extraordinary paintings. He has been praised by the state leaders of home and abroad.
After the liberation war of 1971, the then Indian prime minister late Indira Gandhi visited Bangladesh. Then she was gifted a portrait of Bangbandhu Shekh Mujibur Rahman. It was painted by Kazi Anowar Hossain. It is now kept at present in the Modern Art Gallery of New Delhi. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman affectionately called this talented artist “Nouka Anowar”. He was appreeiated by everybody in the area and he was known as Nouka Anowar from that time. There was a great contribution of late Ohidunnessa the mother of Mr Kazi Anowar Hossain for his growing up as an artist. Her most sincere efforts and earnest assistance were the main inspiration of the artist.
Painting pictures was the main source of his small earning for living after having obtained degree from Art Institute of Dhaka University in the year 1964. Having been charmed at ‘Mon-Pobon’s boat, he drew colourful pictures of the rivers, sceneries and boats of Bangal through water-colour and brush. He was inclined to paint miniature paintings in his old age. In respect of ingredients of his painting, he displayed a novel tendency like the present day artist. It is said that the works of painter Anowar Hossain is sufficiently varied. He started his painting works on canvas with easily available components. He painted variety of boats and inevitably scenery of rivers on the wooden side of the cover of match-boxes. His painted pictures are still cordially and widely received by people for the exceptional characteristics. Mr. Anowar used gum, tree leaves, bark of trees, mango seeds, bones, fish bones, horns of deers and buffalos, papya tree, eggs of swan, useless materials collected from the roads, pieces of cloth along with paint and brush in order to draw pictures. He did not apply colour on large scale in his paintings. These types of works have a resemblance with those of Leonardo. da Vinci, an immortal painter of the European renaissance.
This talented painter got an opportunity for going abroad. Mr. John Adam Napiar of USA was an executive of the then Dhaka Office of UNDP. He ulilized some pictures of this painter in the remarkable film “The Father” in the begining of the year 1980 and he performed a main role in that film. He took some paintings of this painter at the time of his returning to USA. Many people of America was interested & showed eagerness to his beautiful paintings. He was invited to go to America for drawing pictures. But his venture to unveil the mystery of paintings of green Bangla was still incomplete. He missed the golden opportunity unhesitantly to go to America only because of drawing pictures by staying in his native country.
The paintings of Kazi Anowar Hossain were like a compact procession of boats. Sometimes boats in a rows in the river ghat, sometimes floating boats, fishing boats either one or two or many boats, small boats, boats of races, long narrow bodied boats, ferry boats, sailing boats etc. are embodied on the canvas with the application of various colour.
Progress of lives of the village people and their simplicity, active lives and also livelihood pictures of rural Bangladesh has reflected through his various paintings of boats.
Kazi Anowar was upset during the devastating flood of 1988. He painted so many pictures of flood and arranged a solo exhibition of the paintings. He got money by selling his paintings at that time and helped flood affected people by giving relief. His paintings were displayed in more than 22 solo and joint exhibitions in home and abroad from the year 1965 upto his death. This information was provided by his wife (at present deceased) Sufia Anowar and his son Mr. Kazi Ashikur Rahman. Many paintings of the artist have kept in. National Art Museum, National Art Gallery, Circuit House of 60 Districts and other Art Gallery of our country. Besides, many interested and distinguished persons have kept numerous paintings of the Artist in their personal collection place. This list included– late Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, King of Nepal, late Yeasir Arafat, President of Philistin, late Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia, the former president of USA Bill Clinton & First Lady Hilary Clinton, Queen Elizabeth and others. Besides, many other Heads of States, politicians and artists have collected his paintings and kept in their art galleries.
Late Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad took paintings of Kazi Anowar Hossain with him through Foreign Ministry for presenting the Head of the States of different countries whenever he visited there. This famous & talented Artist/Painter passed away on 8 February, 2007 in his own house at Madaripur. At the time of his death, a painting brush was in his hand and he was engaged in painting. He had a desire to help the poor and distressed people with the sale proceeds of his paintings. His hundreds of painting are still kept unsold at his residence.
This reputed Artist was awarded Ekushe Medal in the year 2016 for his lifetime great contribution. This award was formally handed over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in “Osmani Smrity Auditorium” on 20th February, 2016. Late artist’s wife Sufia Anowar received this award.
By this time a road has been named after him at Madaripur Town. “Kazi Anowar Samaj Kallyan Sangstha” has been established after his name there. Kazi Ashikur Hossain Apu is the General Secretary of this organisation. He is son of the renowned artist Kazi Anowar Hossain. He is conducting all sorts of social activities of this organisation. Many young organizers are engaged in giving service to the distressed people. A website has been opened in the name of the artist (www.kazianowar. com) and life of the Artist has been elaborately narrated in WIKIPEDIA.