Dhaka, June 3 — The planned national budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026 includes an allocation of Tk 824 crore for the nation’s cultural sector. Of this amount, Tk 487 crore will be designated for operating costs and Tk 337 crore for developmental purposes.
On Monday, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed unveiled the budget.
Although the allocated amount represents a minor rise from the initial appropriation of Tk 779 crore in the present financial year (later adjusted to Tk 742 crore), the persistent requests from artists and cultural experts for allocating 1% of the country’s overall budget to the arts continue to go unanswered.
The Ministry of Youth & Sports has assigned Tk 2423 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26.
In the suggested budget of Tk 7,90,000 crore, the aggregate allocation for the sectors covering entertainment, culture, and religious affairs amounts to merely 0.8%. These areas encompass four ministries: Information and Broadcasting, Cultural Affairs, Religious Affairs, and Youth and Sports; collectively, they received an allocation of only Tk 6,540 crore, which constitutes less than 1% of the overall budget.
In the upcoming year, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs intends to implement various initiatives such as celebrating national holidays, providing financial support through scholarships for economically disadvantaged artists and authors, offering grants to theater companies and independent libraries, and engaging in cultural exchange programs with foreign nations.
The ministry likewise intends to safeguard the copyright of culturally creative works, update the galleries at the National Museum through enlarging their holdings of both historical artifacts and contemporary art pieces, as well as discover, unearth, and conserve additional archaeological locations throughout the nation.
Individuals before megaprojects: Temporary government introduces initial national budget
Even with these plans, those involved in culture have voiced worries about the ongoing insufficient funding for the sector, urging for stronger financial backing to safeguard and advance Bangladesh’s rich and varied cultural legacy.
