Four executive members of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy resigned on Wednesday, citing concerns over the lack of council meetings and governance issues within the institution.
The resigning members include theatre activists Azad Abul Kalam and Samina Lutfa Nitra, Chhayanaut Sangeet Bidyayatan teacher Layeqa Bashir, and Agnes Rachel Perris, assistant professor in the dance department at Dhaka University.
They submitted their resignation letters to the academy鈥檚 newly appointed director general Rezauddin Ahmed Stalin.
The four were appointed to their positions on October 17, 2024, with a three-year tenure.
According to the academy鈥檚 resolution, the council is required to hold a meeting every three months. However, despite the council鈥檚 formation, only one meeting has been held since their appointment.
Rezauddin Ahmed Stalin acknowledged the issue, stating that the executive council became invalid due to the lack of meetings.
鈥榃e need to reform the executive council, and we have already sent a letter to the cultural affairs ministry addressing this matter,鈥� said Stalin.
The executive council, which is headed by the cultural affairs adviser as president and the cultural secretary as vice-president, last convened on December 18, 2024, during the tenure of Syed Jamil Ahmed, who resigned as director general on February 28 this year.
Azad Abul Kalam, one of the resigning members, expressed his concerns, stating, 鈥楾he council has not held a meeting in the past nine months, yet the academy has organised numerous events. As a council member, I cannot take responsibility for the academy鈥檚 activities without an official meeting, which is against the academy鈥檚 resolution.鈥�
Earlier, writer-researcher Altaf Parvez had also resigned from the council.
