Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury today announced that the government will expand cultural, artistic, and sports activities in educational institutions nationwide to curb cultural degradation, obscenity, and unhealthy cultural practices. The initiative will be implemented in phases, starting on July 19, at all primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities across the country.
Initiative Details
The minister revealed the plan while responding to a supplementary question from Md. Mosharraf Hossain (Bogura-4) during the question-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS). He emphasized that the current cultural degradation, obscenity, and anti-life cultural trends were not created by the present government.
Nitai Roy Chowdhury stated, 'When a country’s national capital fails to develop and a plunder-based economy takes root, different sectors of the state, including arts, culture, education, and the judicial system, inevitably suffer.' He added that those who accumulate wealth through plunder can manipulate every sphere of society, leaving the country’s arts, culture, education, and legal institutions in a devastated condition.
Government Commitment
The minister assured that the government is committed to promoting arts and culture, giving equal importance to cultural development alongside economic progress. He expressed optimism that the collective efforts under the leadership of the Prime Minister and Leader of the House would ensure the flourishing of a healthy cultural environment across the country.
Implementation Strategy
Chowdhury explained that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, along with information technology and tourism-related institutions, is working to engage the younger generation in healthy cultural practices. Cultural, artistic, and sports activities will be gradually introduced at all levels of educational institutions, starting with primary schools.
The government will also prioritize launching activities of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in upazilas where such programs are yet to be introduced. Where permanent infrastructure is unavailable, temporary cultural activities will be launched using rooms in the offices of Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs).
Significance and Future Steps
This initiative is significant as it aims to restore and promote healthy cultural practices among the youth, which is crucial for the overall development of the nation. The government’s efforts to involve local members of parliament and the upazila administration in identifying suitable locations for these activities demonstrate a collaborative approach to cultural revitalization.
