Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi on Friday demanded one per cent allocation of the national budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 for cultural sector.
The cultural organisation raised the demand at a round table discussion session titled 鈥楾he National Budget: Relevance of One Per Cent Allocation for Cultural Sector鈥� held at the National Theatre Hall Seminar Room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Udichi general secretary Amit Ranjan Dey read the keynote essay at the session.
He said that cultural activists had been demanding at least one per cent allocation of the national budget for the past few years but the government did not allocate more than 0.09 to 0.16 per cent for cultural sector.
鈥業f we want to live in a progressive and thoughtful society, there is no alternative to increasing the allocation for cultural sector,鈥� said Amit Ranjan Dey adding that one per cent allocation of the national budget for cultural sector is a timely demand.
He mentioned that steps must be taken to prevent irregularities and corruption to ensure appropriate spending of the allocation.
Thespian Mamunur Rashid said that getting an adequate budget was the right for cultural activists.
鈥楾he main cause behind the inadequate budget for the cultural sector is the negligence of the ruling class towards the sector,鈥� said Mamunur Rashid.
While presiding over the session, Udichi president Badiur Rahman said that the government must increase budget allocation for the sustainable development of the country.
Besides, Udichi vice-president Mahmud Selim, filmmaker Manzare Hassin Murad, economics professor MM Akash, translator Abdus Selim, theatre personality M Hamid and Liberation War Museum trustee board member Mofidul Hoque, among others were present at the round table discussion session.
