Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat commented that more effort, time, labor and talent should be invested in culture in the coming days.
The state minister made this comment while addressing the chief guest at the 2nd day of the three-day National Rabindra Sangeet Festival organized at the National Sangeet and Dance Center Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at Segunbagicha in the capital on Friday evening. Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Artists Association organized the National Rabindra Sangeet Festival in collaboration with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
At this time, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting also said that under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have achieved a lot in terms of economy and infrastructure development in the last fifteen years, we must move forward. But culture needs more investment in coming days. Not just investment of money, we have to invest more effort, time, labor and talent here. Because investment in culture will create a place of values in Bangladesh of a liberal and liberation war dream.
He further said, we are progressing economically, our per capita income is increasing, our poverty is decreasing, the people of the country are moving towards a better life in terms of health care, education. But at the same time investment in culture is needed to develop values, to move forward. Rabindra Sangeet and our art, literature and culture should be spread all over Bangladesh. That is why the government wants all kinds of cooperation. Because there is no alternative to cultural movement, cultural organization for the liberation war Bangladesh.
The State Minister said that Rabindra Sangeet, our politics, Bangladesh, the birth of Bangladesh, the development of Bangladesh have walked hand in hand in the past and present and will walk in the future as well.
He further said that the Bengalis thought of an independent entity and did not rise first because of economic disparity or any other political reason. When our language was first attacked and we were told not to sing Rabindra Sangeet, Bengalis first rose up against the Pakistanis and then gradually Bengalis thought that we need our own independent homeland where we would sing Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, like us. By doing usI will practice culture.Moving forward from that reality, liberation war and independent Bangladesh. So Rabindranath, Rabindra Sangeet and the existence of Bangladesh are closely related. That is why the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made a song of Rabindranath the national anthem of Bangladesh.
He also added, the festival about Rabindra Sangeet, the arrangement around Rabindra Sangeet is not only a part of art and culture, it is a movement, a movement. Rabindra Sangeet, this movement around Rabindra Sangeet needs to be carried forward in order to take the Bengali nationalist cultural movement forward and to broaden the liberal thought against all forms of extremism and militancy.
Eminent Rabindra Sangeet Artist Effat Ara Dewan was awarded the Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Artist Sanstha Sammanna, 1431 at the event. Before this, the program started with the performance of the national anthem.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sansthan Dr. Maqbul Hossain delivered the welcome speech on the occasion and Sajeed Akbar, president of the organization, expressed thanks on the occasion.