Hashem Khan

Hashem Khan (born 1941) is among the most beloved living artists of Bangladesh — a painter, children's book illustrator, typographer, and veteran art educator at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, where he taught for over three decades.

A graduate of the Government Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka, Khan's work is characterised by bold lines, vivid primary colours, and imagery drawn from Bangladesh's folk traditions — Jamdani weaving, terracotta temple art, Nakshi Kantha embroidery, and river life.

As a typographer, he made profound contributions to the visual identity of Bangla script, designing typefaces and lettering systems that are still widely used. His children's book illustrations introduced generations of Bangladeshi children to their visual heritage.

During the Liberation War of 1971, Khan contributed artworks to the freedom movement. His post-independence career has been marked by continuous exploration — from large-scale public murals to intimate book illustrations.

He received the Ekushey Padak in 1988 and remains actively creative today.