Shahabuddin Ahmed

Shahabuddin Ahmed (b. 11 September 1950, Raipur, Narsingdi, Bangladesh) is one of the most celebrated modern painters of Bangladesh, renowned for his powerful figurative works that embody motion, freedom, and resilience. A veteran of the 1971 Liberation War, Shahabuddin graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. He later studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris under a French Government scholarship in 1974. His paintings—defined by dynamic brushstrokes, muscular human forms, and bold colour fields—capture the physical and spiritual intensity of struggle and triumph. Rooted in Bangladesh’s post-independence spirit yet universal in appeal, his works are housed in significant collections including the Bangladesh National Museum, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, and the Seoul Olympic Museum. Among his many honours are the Gold Medal at Salon du Printemps, Paris (1981), Honourable Mention at the 3rd Asian Art Biennale (1986), the Independence Day Award (2000), and France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2014). Shahabuddin’s art bridges personal heroism and collective memory, standing as a timeless testament to the human spirit and the enduring quest for freedom.