Creative economy to be part of economic growth: Khosru

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury yesterday said the government wants to bring art and culture into mainstream economic activity, making the creative economy a new component of Bangladesh’s development.

He was speaking as chief guest at the launch of a book titled “Creative Footprints: Modern and Contemporary Art in Bangladesh” in Dhaka. Standard Chartered Bangladesh published the book in partnership with Bengal Foundation.

“We all love arts. We like theatres. We like music. But we never monetised it,” the minister said.

He said spending around London’s theatre district, from tickets to nearby galleries and shops, adds to British GDP. “Why don’t we create the same environment in Bangladesh?” he said.

The minister said the government is working with the private sector and nongovernmental organisations, since “government is not always in a position to deliver”. Funding has been earmarked in the budget, and more is expected from private partners, he said.

He cited an artist from the hills who sold him paintings at Tk 5,000 each. After an exhibition arranged with Bengal Foundation, similar works sold for Tk 50,000 to Tk 100,000 apiece, he said.

Artisans will get financial, design, branding and marketing support, including online sales through platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, he said, adding that this could double the prices they receive.

He said this would create jobs and bring in foreign currency.

“This is a soft power for Bangladesh,” he said.

British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke was the special guest. They jointly unveiled the book with Enamul Huque, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bangladesh; Abul Khair, founder and chair of Bengal Foundation; and Luva Nahid Choudhury, the foundation’s director general.

The book documents the movements and creative voices that have shaped the country’s art over more than a century, featuring 32 artists.

“Art offers a unique way of understanding a nation: its identity, its evolution and the imagination of its people,” said Enamul Huque.