Cultural training halted at Barishal Shilpakala Academy

All cultural training activities at the Barishal Shilpakala Academy have been suspended.

The notice, signed by District Cultural Officer Asit Baran Das Gupta dated 30 June, stated the suspension was "temporary".

Contacted, Barishal Cultural Officer Asit Baran Das Gupta claimed the suspension was based on "verbal instructions" from the higher-ups of the academy.

"This is not my sole decision," he said, citing complications regarding the renewal of instructors' contracts.

More than a thousand young trainees at the academy have been left in limbo after the sudden development.

Asked about the training disruptions, AFM Nurur Rahman, director of the Training Department at BSA, said, "When training activities are suspended, it demotivates learners and affects cultural participation.

"We are working to resolve this and resume sessions as quickly as possible," he added.

Meanwhile, Barishal Shilpakala Trainers alleged that the situation stems from personal disagreements between the official and the current set of instructors.

Some trainers claimed that Das Gupta attempted to replace existing instructors with individuals of his own choosing. Some of them, they say, lack necessary training. They suspect that the shutdown is a tactic to bring in favoured candidates in place of experienced trainers.

Twelve instructors, including those teaching classical music, dance, theatre, fine arts, and recitation, have jointly submitted a complaint to the Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) seeking redress.

Signatories include noted trainers such as Maitree Ghorai (classical music), Delowara Inu (Rabindra Sangeet), Jayanti Roy (classical dance), and Animesh Saha (theatre and recitation).

The contract renewal of these trainers for the year 2024–25 was reportedly pending during the tenure of the previous cultural officer, Hasanur Rashid.