Monirul Islam (Monir) is a distinguished Bangladeshi-Spanish artist whose remarkable career has connected the artistic traditions of Bangladesh and Spain for more than five decades. Born in Chandpur in 1943, he studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, where he was mentored by renowned artists including Zainul Abedin and Mustafa Monwar.

He studied mural painting at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and subsequently made Spain his permanent home. Monirul Islam is particularly celebrated for his innovative approach to etching and printmaking.

Across etchings, paintings, monotypes, and watercolors, Monir's work is characterized by a subtle balance between delicate lines and expansive areas of empty space. His compositions often appear spontaneous yet carefully resolved, transforming fragments of experience, memory, nature, and emotion into an abstract visual vocabulary. Beneath his close engagement with the Spanish art world remains a strong connection to his Bangladeshi heritage, expressed through the rhythm, sensitivity, color, and spiritual dimension of his work.

Over the course of his career, Monirul Islam has exhibited internationally and worked alongside influential figures of modern Spanish art. His contribution has been recognized by both Bangladesh and Spain. He was awarded Bangladesh's Ekushey Padak in 1999, followed by the Cross of Officer of the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 2010 and the Commander of the Order of Civil Merit in 2018, among Spain's distinguished civilian honors.