Farooki outlines 7 priority initiatives for cultural revival
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has announced seven priority programmes, including a nationwide talent hunt and a youth festival, to reignite the cultural landscape of Bangladesh.
At a press conference held today at the Secretariat, the ministry revealed these initiatives, aiming to foster cultural engagement among the youth and beyond.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The seven initiatives include "Remembering Monsoon Revolution," "Tarunner Utsab" (Youth Festival)," "Deshbyapi Protibha Sondhan" (Nationwide Talent Hunt), "Digital Oral History Project," "Bangla Academy Creative Writing Workshop and Research Project," "Modern Video Projection System for the National Museum," and the "Show Creator Workshop."
According to the ministry's written statement, the programme "Remembering Monsoon Revolution" is aims to ignite a fresh wave of inspiration among the youth. As part of this initiative, eight top filmmakers from Bangladesh will conduct workshops across eight divisions, creating eight medium-length visual content. In addition, eight new theatre productions will be developed.
One major highlight will be an album featuring Kazi Nazrul Islam's songs performed by popular artistes, which will be released at a central concert in Dhaka. This concert, to be broadcast nationwide, will also showcase photography, paintings, and cartoons.
From December 30 to February 8, 2025, the government will host the "Tarunner Utsab"— a series of cultural events across Bangladesh. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs aims to engage young minds in celebrating the richness of Bangladeshi culture.
The "Deshbyapi Protibha Sondhan" will seek to discover and nurture fresh talents among children, teenagers, and young adults, creating a cultural resurgence across the country.
Meanwhile, the "Digital Oral History Project" will embark on a large-scale digital archiving effort. The project aims to document the participation of the millions involved in "Remembering Monsoon Revolution," with video records of their contributions being archived and broadcast.
Additionally, Bangla Academy will hold creative writing workshops for aspiring writers and publish selected works. The academy will also offer 50 research papers and 10 year-long research fellowships.
The National Museum's auditorium will be upgraded with a state-of-the-art projection system to allow for stage performances, as well as international films, documentaries, and visual content screenings year-round.
In another significant move, the ministry will organise a "Show Creator Workshop" for promising young talents, featuring trainers from internationally renowned OTT platforms.
At the press conference, Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki emphasised the importance of building "cultural bridges" in post-revolution Bangladesh. "This country belongs to everyone, regardless of religion. No one should be excluded on the basis of faith. Our cultural policy will celebrate diversity—people of all faiths, languages, and backgrounds—and we are committed to nurturing that," Farooki said.
The press conference was attended by Syed Jamil Ahmed, director general of Shilpakala Academy, Mohammad Azam, director general of Bangla Academy, and Latiful Islam Shibli, executive director of Nazrul Institute, along with other ministry officials and heads of various cultural organisations.
Comments