Kanak Chapa, Ashfaque Nipun, and Nawshaba among key figures in restructured Artistes’ Welfare Trust

The interim government has announced a bold restructuring of the 15-member trustee board of the Bangladesh Artistes' Welfare Trust, marking a significant move to strengthen support for the country's creative community. 

In an official gazette released today (September 15) by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the new trustee board members will serve a three-year term, playing a crucial role in shaping policies to benefit the nation's artistes.

The reshuffle comes in the wake of political shifts, signalling that changes in the cultural landscape are also on the agenda. Drawing on the authority granted under Section 6 of the Bangladesh Artistes' Welfare Trust Act 2001, the government has revamped the leadership to bring fresh energy to the trust's operations.

The newly formed board will see the Ministry of Cultural Affairs adviser serve as chairman, with the ministry's secretary stepping into the role of vice-chairman. The managing director of the trust has been named the board's member-secretary.

Among the 12 board members, four standout figures from the entertainment industry have been appointed: Renowned singer Kanak Chapa, activist-researcher and playwright-actor Samina Luthfa, acclaimed director Ashfaque Nipun, and actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed.

The board also boasts other prominent figures, including the director generals of Bangla Academy and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, as well as joint secretaries from the finance and information ministries. Other key appointments include poet Nahid Hasan, writer and educator Tuhin Wadud, and poets Imtiaz Mahmud, and Syed Jamil.

The Bangladesh Artistes' Welfare Trust has long been dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged artistes, approving and implementing projects that support their welfare. 

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