Sculptor Shamim Sikder passes away

 
Ekushey Padak winner sculptor and former professor of Dhaka University Shamim Sikder died on Tuesday.

She died around 4:30pm while being treated at the United Hospital Limited in Dhaka, Imran Hossain, a curator of Shamim Sikder Sculpture Park, confirmed to journalists.

The 70-year-old artist was suffering from multiple illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney complications, Imran said quoting doctors.
Shamim is survived by two children, who live in London. She was buried at Mohammadpur graveyard beside her parents' grave.

The artist came to Bangladesh seven months ago from London, aiming to complete her unfulfilled work. She was hospitalized four months after she fell ill.

"Her dreams remain incomplete. She dreamt of reconstructing the sculpture of Zainul Abedin at DU's faculty of fine arts, and urged the university authorities to unveil it after the reconstruction," said Imran.

Imran also mentioned that Shamim had plans to reconstruct the Guernica sculpture at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, she could not proceed with the plan due to alleged non-cooperation from the ministry.

Shamim Sikder, who was a professor of the sculpture department of DU's Faculty of Fine Arts, built the "Shoparjito Shadhinota" at DU's TSC in 1990 and Swadhinata Sangram at the university's Fuller Road area. Earlier, in 1974, she built a sculpture in Dhaka Central Jail to commemorate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.