Cultural activists in Bangladesh are demanding that the government allocate at least 1 to 2 per cent of the total national budget to the cultural sector, although the sector’s historical allocation usually ranges between only 0.09 to 0.16 per cent.
Bangladeshi Sangskritikkarme Sangha general secretary Khondoker Shah Alam, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation secretary general Kamal Bayezid, and Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies general secretary Mohammad Nurullah stated that an increased budget alone is not enough, integrated initiatives are also essential for the development of culture.
Khondoker Shah Alam emphasised that the state must take urgent steps to foster cultural awareness. Rather than relying solely on government officials, he urged the state to work directly through artists and cultural organisations to launch heritage programmes across neighbourhoods, villages, and cities, highlighting our thousand-year-old cultural legacy.
He also mentioned that they have demanded a minimum allocation of 2 per cent for the cultural sector in the fiscal year 2026–27 national budget to foster the country’s cultural development, social harmony, human values, and the preservation of national heritage.
Furthermore, the Bangladeshi Sangskritikkarme Sangha recently placed a 15-point demand before the government. Among these, they urged that arrangements be made to expand the activities of the Shilpakala Academy into every upazila and district across the country, ensuring regular mainstream cultural programmes are conducted through local artists and cultural organisations.
They also demanded the formation of an impartial national medal-awarding committee, a reduction in rent for all government-funded auditoriums for cultural organisations, and the immediate elimination of VAT on auditorium bookings.
Kamal Bayezid noted that the government needs to organise annual cultural fairs across the country, similar to national, youth, and agricultural fairs.
He expressed hope that at least 1 per cent of the budget will be allocated to culture to jumpstart these initiatives.
He also outlined several crucial state-level demands to support cultural activists and artists, which include issuing an ‘Artist Card,’ providing free medical treatment for artists over the age of sixty, implementing a ‘Salary Grant,’ and allocating a special budget to appoint painting, music, dance, and drama teachers across all primary and secondary educational institutions to foster grassroots cultural practices.
Mohammad Nurullah added that according to UNESCO, at least 1 per cent of a national budget should be directly allocated to the cultural sector to preserve a country’s cultural heritage.
‘Culture-friendly European nations—such as France, Italy, and Scandinavian countries—spend more than 2 per cent of their GDP or national budgets on this sector,’ he said, adding that as a cultural worker, he believes Bangladesh’s allocation should be at least 2 per cent.
Nurullah also argued that investment in the cultural sector is not merely for theatre or music, it acts as a form of ‘human security’ that steers the younger generation away from drugs, crime, and social degradation while fostering national values.
He concluded that since the quality of institutional education in our country remains insufficient, the budget for this vital sector of social education must be increased.
