Artist Monirul recalls Toufique Khalidi’s love of large paintings, his generous spirit

For artist Monirul Islam, bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi’s death is still too difficult to believe.

He recalled him as a trusted friend who collected art and had a particular fondness for large paintings on Friday.

He said Khalidi preferred abstract works to figurative images.

“Toufique would say, ‘I want big, big paintings’. I used to joke around with him, and he enjoyed it too.”

“Whenever he hosted Pahela Baishakh events at home, he invited me. There would be all kinds of arrangements. I would tell him, ‘With so much food, this has become a self-service restaurant’. His heart was enormous. He invited me to every important event.”

Monirul said Khalidi gave him a driver named Zahir.

“He was very proud. He said Toufique fed him the same food he ate. It hurts to lose a good person. He had so many dreams.”

Khalidi was taken to a London hospital on Thursday night following a brain haemorrhage. He was pronounced dead at 2:23pm London time on Friday.