Dhaka: The first modern sculptor of Bangladesh and one of the original designers of the Central Shaheed Minar, Novera Anwar, died in a hospital in Paris on Tuesday night.
Born in 1930, Novera Ahmed studied initially in Calcutta and Comilla. She earned a Diploma in Design in the Modelling and Sculpture course from Camberwell College of Arts in London in 1995.
Novera collaborated with Hamidur Rahman to work on the original design of the Central Shaheed Minar.
She had done about 100 sculptures in Dhaka during 1956-1960. Her only once in life exhibition was held in 1960. Out of 100 sculptures by Novera, 33 sculptures are currently in Bangladesh National Museum.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia expressed deep shock at the death of the sculptor.