Cultural affairs minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury on Monday asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) to beef up security for the folk artistes while calling them to nurture cultural programmes at the grassroots level aiming to build a talented nation.
“To build a culturally aware, talented nation is the main goal of the present government,” he said while addressing as the chief guest at a special session of the ‘DC conference-2026’ at Osmani Memorial auditorium in Dhaka. Cabinet secretary Nasimul Gani was in the chair.
Regarding the government’s initiative for protecting the cultural heritage, the minister said the government will develop modern cultural infrastructure at each upazila, along with ensuring the safety of 564 archaeological sites and 21 museums of the country, so the people can link directly with the artistic practice.
Highlighting the government’s target to build a liberal and inclusive cultural circle, the cultural affairs minister asked the DCs to give protection to the baul and lalon artistes and take tough action to resist cultural degradation against the local tradition at the district level.
Participating in the session, State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam said the psychological transformation of the people is highly important as it is a difficult intellectual work to bring positive change in human attitude, rather than infrastructural development.
Express disappointment regarding the cultural development, he said that expected development had not taken place in the cultural sector for the last 17 years. The target of the present democratic government is to take the country’s cultural development to a different height, he added.
The state minister urged the DCs to work actively to make the cultural institutes of the small ethnic groups more effective.
Addressing the session, Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, Policy and Strategy Adviser to the Prime Minister, said the present government, which was elected democratically after a long time, has a strong commitment to fulfilling all pledges made to the public.
He reminded that the DCs are the key craftsmen for successfully implementing the government’s welfare initiatives for the people at the grassroots level.
He urged the local administration to be more transparent and dynamic in fulfilling the people’s expectations.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Adviser Humayun Kabir, senior secretaries from different ministries and divisional commissioners were also present during the session.
