The month-long 13th Asian Art Biennale begins today at three venues simultaneously in the city - National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh National Museum and Osmani Memorial Hall.

The art exhibition and competition has been organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. With the leading mobile phone operator Grameen Phone sponsoring it.

The Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed will inaugurate the show at the Osmani Memorial Hall at 4:00 PM today. A cultural evening will be held at 6:15pm at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on the opening day.

Artworks from Bangladesh and 27 other countries will be put on display at the exhibition.

The other participating countries at the exhibition are - Chile, China, Egypt, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and UAE.

A press conference was held at the training room of the Shilpakala Academy to brief on the event. Cultural Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury was chief guest, while Md Sharful Alam, Cultural Affairs Secretary, Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Director General of Shilpakala Academy, Rubaba Dowla Matin of Grameen Phone, among others, were present at the press conference.

The Cultural Affairs Adviser said, "that five-member jury committee consisting of senior Bangladeshi artists and critics selected the artworks for the exhibition. Another five-member jury comprising of two Bangladeshis and three foreigners will select the works for three Grand Prizes and Honourable Mention Awards, she added."

One of the attractions of the exhibition will be a two-day international seminar titled 'Experiments in New Media in Recent Years'. It be held at the Music and Dance Centre Auditorium of Shilpakala Academy on October 22 and 23.

The 13th instalment of the biennale was supposed to be held last year. But due to the political situation it was shelved, said the Director General of Shilpakala Academy.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has been organising the Asian Art Exhibition since 1981.