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- Suggested slug: bangladeshi-artist-abdus-sattar-exhibition-islamabad
- Category: Islamabad
- Focus keyphrase: Abdus Sattar exhibition
- SEO title: Abdus Sattar Exhibition Opens at Islamabad Art Gallery
- Meta description: Bangladeshi artist Prof Dr Abdus Sattar’s exhibition opened at Islamabad’s National Art Gallery on Saturday, running daily till October 19.
- Tags: Abdus Sattar, Bangladesh, PNCA, National Art Gallery, Islamabad, art exhibition, cultural exchange
- Original element: local Pakistan angle — the show as a Pak-Bangladesh cultural-exchange event on Islamabad’s art calendar; context on PNCA’s role and the artist’s cross-border academic journey
- Source: Tribune (“Bengali artist’s exhibition opens in capital”, published 18 Oct 2026, 07:00 PKT)
- Image suggestion: Exhibition/artist-talk photo from the National Art Gallery with Express credit (publish-time image team)
Abdus Sattar Exhibition Opens at Islamabad Art Gallery
A new exhibition by Bangladeshi artist and academic Prof Dr Md Abdus Sattar opened at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad on Saturday, pairing a display of his work with an artist talk on the ideas and craft behind it. The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) organised the event, which will run until October 19.
The Abdus Sattar exhibition was inaugurated by Hassan Raza Syed, a member of the PNCA Board of Governors, alongside PNCA Director General M Ayoub Jamali and delegates from Bangladesh. The opening drew art enthusiasts, artists, academics and cultural representatives, with members of the Bangladeshi delegation also in attendance.
A career across three countries
During the artist talk, Prof Dr Abdus Sattar spoke about his artistic journey, his personal experiences, and the historical and cultural influences that have shaped his work. He walked the audience through his pieces, explaining the ideas, inspirations and creative processes behind them and giving visitors a deeper understanding of his artistic vision.
His story is itself a map of the region’s art institutions. Born in Natore, Bangladesh, he graduated in fine arts from the Bangladesh College of Arts and Crafts, now the Faculty of Fine Art at the University of Dhaka, in 1971. Two years later he pursued postgraduate research in painting and printmaking at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, India, on a scholarship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
That training across Dhaka and Santiniketan runs through his practice, which spans painting, printmaking and visual expression. The academic grounding shows in the work: his pieces reflect a sustained engagement with craft and form rather than quick gestures.
An evening of cultural exchange
The interactive discussion turned into a platform for cultural exchange and artistic dialogue. For Pakistan and Bangladesh, the two countries have been finding new ground to meet in recent years, on cricket fields as much as in committee rooms. Bangladesh stepped into Pakistan’s place at the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy this year, and their teams have met regularly in women’s cricket. A quiet evening of art at Islamabad’s National Art Gallery adds a softer thread to that relationship.
The PNCA said events like this strengthen longstanding cultural ties between the two countries. The council continues to promote contemporary art, encourage engagement between artists and audiences, and build international cultural collaboration.
Islamabad’s cultural calendar has been busy of late. The city regularly hosts exhibitions and discoveries that draw on the country’s deep artistic roots, from festival traditions celebrated elsewhere to archaeological finds that reshape our picture of the past. A show devoted to a living master of printmaking fits naturally into that scene.
What to know before visiting
The exhibition remains open until October 19, 2026, from 10am to 4pm daily. Entry details follow the gallery’s standard practice; visitors planning a trip should allow time for the artist-talk corner, where the works are best understood alongside Sattar’s own account of his process.
*Source: The Express Tribune*
Who is Abdus Sattar?
Prof Dr Md Abdus Sattar is a Bangladeshi artist and academic from Natore. He graduated in fine arts from Dhaka in 1971 and did postgraduate research in painting and printmaking at Santiniketan, India, in 1973. His practice covers painting, printmaking and visual expression.
Where is the exhibition and when is it open?
The show is at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad, organised by the PNCA. It runs daily from 10am to 4pm until October 19, 2026.
Who inaugurated the exhibition?
Hassan Raza Syed of the PNCA Board of Governors inaugurated it, along with PNCA Director General M Ayoub Jamali and delegates from Bangladesh.
