The 27th Rafi Memorial Art Competition 2026 ended amid vibrant participation of young talents yesterday.
450 students from educational institutions across Chattogram city and its surrounding areas joined the event. Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chattogram organized by the program.
Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain attended the program as the chief guest while Haidari Andalusia, Associate Professor at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Chicago, United States was the chief judge. Chattogram Press Club President Jahidul Karim Kochi and past presidents of the Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chattogram—Rotarian Captain Ustad Azizul Islam, PP Shafiqul Alam Khan, PP Ishaq Chowdhury and PP Mahfuzur Rahman were special guests on the occasion presided over by Rotarian Md Selim Reza Sagar, President of the Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chattogram.
The annual competition was held in three categories based on participants’ age and grade levels.
Participants expressed their imagination, creativity and artistic vision through paintings created during the competition. Three Grand Awards and ten Special Awards were presented in each category. Winners received crests, certificates and prize bonds, while all 450 participants were awarded certificates of participation and complimentary gifts.
Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain said there is no substitute for artistic activities in nurturing children’s creativity and intellectual development.
Creative pursuits such as painting help cultivate imagination, aesthetic values and humanity while also providing children with opportunities to develop their talents, he observed. He described the Rafi Smrithi Art Competition as a commendable initiative that encourages young artists to realize their potential.
Chief Judge Haidari Andalusia praised the quality of the students’ artwork and encouraged children to continue practicing art on a regular basis.
Rotarian Md Selim Reza Sagar, said the competition seeks to foster creativity among children and inspire greater interest in arts and culture.
“Overwhelming participation of students had encouraged the organizers to expand the event in the coming years”, he added.
Rafji Smrithi Art Competition is organized every year in memory of Rafi, the late son of Rotarian Osman Gani Mansur, a past president of the Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chattogram. The initiative aims to preserve Rafi’s memory while encouraging children and adolescents to develop their artistic and creative potential. Rotarian Osman Gani Mansur also attended this year’s event.
Rafi Smrithi Art Competition has become one of the Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chattogram’s flagship annual programs over the years, organizers said. They reaffirmed their commitment to continuing similar initiatives to promote children’s creative talent.
