Cultural activists at a protest rally on Sunday demanded reinstatement of Syed Jamil Ahmed as the director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Jamil Ahmed had recently resigned from the post making allegations of interference by the cultural affairs ministry.
The rally was held in front of the academy on the day under the banner of 鈥楪ana Abhyuthaner Gana Akangkha鈥�.
Bikhubdha Shikharthi-Shilpi-Nagarik Samaj organised the rally.
They also demanded ensuring autonomy of the BSA and other autonomous organisations of the country.
They also condemned the Facebook post of cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki where the adviser personally attacked Syed Jamil Ahmed instead of answering Jamil鈥檚 allegations against him.
The president of the Bangladesh Students鈥� Union Rageeb Nayeem, young activist Mohiuddin Roni, photographer Sadia Mariam Rupa, musician Anirudh Anu, among others, spoke at the event moderated by theatre activist Riasat Salekin.
鈥業f the cultural affairs adviser had had any sense of responsibility for the July martyrs, he would not personally have attacked Syed Jamil Ahmed by defending the bureaucracy on Facebook,鈥� Rageeb Nayeem said, adding that they support Syed Jamil Ahmed鈥檚 demands.
Mohiuddin Roni said that the BSA led by Syed Jamil Ahmed organised cultural activities across the country commemorating the July martyrs鈥� sacrifice but Farooki forced him to resign.
Anirudh Anu said that the government should clarify their position on the allegation raised by Jamil Ahmed instead of writing new scripts against him.
An official of the BSA said on Sunday that a meeting was scheduled with the cultural adviser at the ministry with BSA directors and deputy directors but it was postponed as the adviser was not at the ministry. 聽 聽
On Sunday night, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs issued a statement about the matter while the ministry protested at the allegations made by Syed Jamil Ahmed against the ministry saying that the allegations were false and misleading.聽
On February 28, the BSA director general Syed Jamil Ahmed announced his resignation from his post and his resignation triggered a huge controversy on social media as he brought allegations of administrative interference and bureaucratic obstacles created by the cultural affairs ministry.
