Billal Hossain Bikrampuri

A rural artisan and his much acclaimed works

An artwork by Billal Hossain Bikrampuri

Carpentry, the trans-formation process of wood into fashioned forms, is a traditional art form. Billal Hossain Bikrampuri from Sidhirganj, Narayanganj, is one of a folk artist who has made remarkable contributions to wood carving in Bangladesh. The National Museum in Dhaka recently arranged a display of his works. The artist has donated several of his works to different organisations including Bangladesh National Museum and Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation in Sonargaon. Quite a few global personalities including former US President Bill Clinton, received Billal's artwork as gifts.

Billal's story is not unfamiliar. He was born in 1933 at a village in Bikrampur. Not being able to afford education, he took up carpentry to make ends meet, at the age of 14. His teacher was a man named Biswas. Billal's distinct, ambitious spirit took shape in his woodwork.

His first creation was a replica of a fish. It was followed by carvings of birds and animals, including tigers. In his depictions of nature's wonders, he added cultural images. He does not create landscapes that feature people, like the terracotta on temple-walls. Instead, he follows the Islamic trend of symbolising human creativity through depictions of objects and architectural miniatures; specialising on the latter. One of his signature pieces is a model of the Bikrampur zamindar's mansion. Like many artisans, Bill had also made a replica of the Taj Mahal. To quote him, “The Taj Mahal has been replicated by many artists in clay, engraved in brass, painted on panels of rickshaws, and worked by jewellers in silver filigree. My version is in wood. My inspiration was a picture of the famous monument at the zamindar's mansion in Bikrampur.”

Billal Hossain Bikrampuri does not prefer portraits, as is the norm in Islamic art. However, he has, like the potters, carved some portraits in relief of great poets, notably Kazi Nazrul Islam. And as the potters make images of the Hindu deities, based on revelations of the divine, Billal carves plaques that represent the word 'Allah', as revealed in the Holy Quran. His plaques in the Arabic script depict prayers and the basic doctrine in Muslim faith: There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger. According to Billal, “One of my new creations is parallel to the 'murti' as a device of communication. It is a radio that receives and transmits only the message that he inscribed on its face in English: Allah is Almighty.”

Billal Hossain Bikrampuri does not accept commissions, nor does he sell his works. To quote him, “My daily labour helps me make a modest living, but my creativity is not for sale. Through my work I would like to remind the world that Bangladesh still is a developing country but has a rich tradition in arts and crafts.”