The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Amendment Ordinance 2025 has recently been approved at a meeting of the Advisory Council held at the Chief Adviser’s Office.
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting.
The ordinance aims to strengthen the institutional framework of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy by expanding its organisational structure and ensuring broader representation from different artistic disciplines, according to BSA.
New Departments added:
Following the amendment, the number of departments at the Academy has been increased from six to nine.
The reorganised departments now include: Administration and Finance; Theatre; Film; Photography; Dance and Performing Arts; Research, Publication and New Media; Cultural Branding, Festivals and Production; Music and Fine Arts.
Film and Photography professionals have long demanded separate departments, and this inclusion will help the Academy focus more on visual and audio-visual arts.
The ordinance also brings significant changes to the composition of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Council.
Under the revised structure, the Minister/State Minister or Deputy Minister in charge of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs will serve as Chairperson of the council. The Senior Secretary or Secretary of the Ministry will act as Vice-Chairperson.
The council will include senior representatives, not below the rank of Joint Secretary, from the Finance Division, the Secondary and Higher Education Division, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The relevant joint secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs will also be a member.
The directors general of Bangla Academy and the National Museum will serve on the council by virtue of their positions.
In addition, the government will nominate eight eminent individuals representing theatre, film, photography, dance and performing arts, research, publication and new media, cultural branding, festivals and production, music, and fine arts. No administrative division will have more than one nominated member.
The council will also include one cultural personality from an ethnic minority community and one editor of a national daily newspaper, both nominated by the government.
The director general of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will serve as the member secretary of the council.
Nominated members will hold office for a three-year term from the date of nomination. They may resign at any time, and the government retains the authority to cancel nominations when necessary.
“The Advisory Council has approved the long-standing demand to establish a separate ‘Photography’ Department at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, marking a historic milestone in Bangladesh’s visual arts. I sincerely thank Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki for supporting this initiative,” said Ekushey Padak-winning photographer Nasir Ali Mamun.
Officials said the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Amendment Ordinance 2025 will make the Academy’s operations more organised and dynamic. They added that the revised departmental structure and council composition will strengthen cultural governance and make planning and decision-making processes more inclusive.
