Page 216 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

GRAPHIC DESIGN 213

He is one of the artists of the early stages of the Government Institute
of Art in Dhaka (present day Institute of Fine Art, University of
Dhaka). He became involved with the publication industry inspired by
Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan as well as being driven by
financial need. Since the 50s until today (2005) his multi faceted
techniques, mastery in application of color, uniqueness in drawing and
illustration have kept on amazing us. Monochrome, bi-color, using
multi colors, from block engraving to offset printing, from color
separation through drawing to modern day computer graphics, he is
comfortable and spontaneous in every medium. The history of our book
illustration and Qayyum Chowdhury can be said to be synonymous. He
is the cover artist of more than five thousand books. The credit for
understanding the temperament of a book and representing it definitely
goes to Qayyum Chowdhury as a cover designer. Every single work of
Qayyum Chowdhury is self-sufficient, charming, appreciated, aesthetic
and satisfying. He has sometimes worked in watercolor, sometimes in
gouache or pen and ink. He is equally adept in using texture and screen.
His cover designs carry the trace of his innovation (pl. 4.12).
The most significant cover designs of Qayyum Chowdhury on books of poetry are fig. 4.19 Samar
Abu Zafar Obaidullah’s Brishti O Shahoshi Purusher Jonyo Prarthona, Abul Hasan’s Majumdar, book cover
Raja Ashe Raja Jai, Prithok Palonko, Al Mahmud’s Sonali Kabin, Shahid Kadri’s
Uttoradhikar, Shamsur Rahman’s Adigonto Nogno Pododhoni etc. Among his works
on stories and novels we can name Al Mahmud’s Pankourir Rokto, Syed Shamsul
Haq’s Khelaram Khele Ja, Zahir Raihan’s Shesh Bikeler Meye, Humayun Ahmed’s
Nondito Noroke, Hasan Azizul Haq’s Namhin Gotrohin etc. and on themes of the
Liberation War : Ekattorer Dinguli, Smriti:71 etc. Considering the number and variety
of his work, in the context of the history of graphic design (certainly the history of
cover design and illustration) in Bangladesh Qayyum Chowdhury has reached the
stature of a legend. In both Bengals he is referred to as the most prominent cover and
illustration artist after Satyajit Ray.
Most of the famous and prominent artists of Bangladesh have occasionally designed
covers. For example, Mohammad Kibria did the cover of Haramoni’s fourth volume
and Aminul Islam did the cover of the first issue of Ekushey. But we must mention
A.K.M. Abdur Rouf, another cover artist who created the extraordinary covers of
Suryadighal Bari, Lal Salu, Samsaptak etc. Other than these, there are not many
covers designed by him.
In the publication industry of Bangladesh the most dedicated artist in children’s book
illustration is Hashem Khan. His various qualities made illustration in children’s
literature attractive and dynamic. Even a few years ago Hashem Khan did the cover
and illustration of most of the textbooks in Bangladesh. Children’s literature has
always been ignored in our country. It can be said that it was given a new dimension