Govt working to promote Bangladesh’s culture on world stage: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government will take measures to promote the culture of Bangladesh in the global arena alongside pursuing a move for its boost-up keeping pace with thoughts of the new generations so that they never forget the uniqueness of our culture.

“As we are heading towards socio-economic advancement, we also have to march ahead culturally. We will take required measures as our culture can put a strong footing on the world stage,” she said while laying the foundation stones of six-development projects and inaugurating another.

She virtually joined the function from her official Ganabhaban residence through a video-conference organised by the Cultural Affairs Ministry at the Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh here.

The Prime Minister said her government has been working to incorporate the technology for further improvement of the culture.

“The thoughts and beliefs of our children are ever-changing at the advent of newer technology. We have to improve our culture in accordance with their thoughts as they never forget the culture of Bangladesh,” she said.

She reiterated her government’s commitment to do whatever necessary as they did in the past to improve and develop the culture of Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said they have already completed 41 development schemes at a cost of Taka 1,862 crore while implementing 14 other projects alongside 41 others are waiting for approval in the last 14 and a half years for enhancement of Bangladeshi culture.

She said it is required to attacks on culture if anyone want to destroy any country, adding that the Pakistani occupation forces had tried to ruin Bangladesh’s cultural as they killed Bangladeshi intellectuals at the fag-end of the Liberation War, knowing their confirm defeat.

“We have always tried to hold our culture alongside boosting it up and thus to march the country ahead,” she said.

The Prime Minister said her government has been working to build an educated nation with technological knowledge since 2009 by protecting and preserving the history and culture of the Bangalee nation, spirit of the Liberation War, literary and research works.

“The world is gripped by technology. We have to incorporate technology with our culture to build the nation a modern and knowledge-based one generation after generation,” she added.

The six-development schemes which foundation stones were laid by the premier are: new multi-storied building for the Department of Public Libraries, Rose Garden in old Dhaka city, Kabi Nazrul Institute Bhaban in Dhaka, President Md Abdul Hamid Shilpakala Academy and Regional Cultural Centre at Mithamain in Kishoreganj, Muktagacha Cultural Centre in Mymensingh, and Children Library in the National Museum.

She also inaugurated a newly constructed 12-storey building of the Copyright Bhaban here.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, MP, and Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed spoke on the occasion.

Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave a cultural philosophy at a Bangla Academy programme in 1974, in which he said, “—we have to establish our country’s language, literature, culture and heritage on the global stage if we want to stand on our own feet as an independent nation.”

The Prime Minister said, “I believe it is our duty to establish the cultural philosophy of the Father of the Nation.”

Briefly describing her government’s measure to ensure the country’s overall development, she said, “Bangladesh doesn’t lag behind. It has nationwide wifi connection, electricity to every house and the condition of the people even at union-level has radically changed.”

She called for reaching cultural practices up to the grassroots people and said, “We’ve many hidden talents at the grassroots. We’ll have to promote them and evaluate them on the national stage. So, we’ll have to take our cultural practices even to the union level apart from the district and upazila level.”

The Prime Minister wished that the people of Bangladesh would be liberal with non-communal spirit.

“So, it needs to take measures to flourish these mentality and spirit further,” she said.

She said her government has already taken many necessary steps to flourish and enrich the cultural practices of Bangladesh and will continue to take further steps in this regard.

About construction of a new multi-storied building for the Department of Public Libraries, she said her government has given an allocation of Taka 524 crore to build it with modern technologies.

She, however, expressed her resentment as they have yet to start the construction work of the building despite her government had approved the project much earlier.

The Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned to repair and preserve the Rose Garden in old Dhaka city, where erstwhile East Pakistan Awami Muslim League, (now Awami League) was established, in such a way as the uniqueness of it cannot be changed.

She also suggested incorporating the owner of the Rose Garden house, from whom the government had purchased it, to ensure proper preservation of the documents they have and the house’s uniqueness.

The Premier said she is also available for giving any instruction if required to reform the house.

She continued that the Dhaka Library now being housed in Nagar Bhaban (office of the Dhaka South City Corporation) will be shifted to the Rose Garden.

About the Children Library, she said the Children Library will be established in the National Museum with cooperation of Japan in accordance with their own design and to give 6,000 Japanese books to the library.

In this connection, she said, “Japan is a tested friend of ours and it has played a great role in our development.”