Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Saturday that the government wants to bring creative industries into the economic mainstream and develop them as a source of Bangladesh's soft power.
“Art and culture, rural handicrafts, music, cinema and theatre must be brought into mainstream economic activity, turning them into a key driver of the country's new GDP growth and building Bangladesh's soft power, or cultural strength, on the global stage,” he said at the launch of the book Creative Footprints in Banani.
The finance minister said conventional economic thinking had long kept art and culture on the margins of economic activity. The government now wants to move away from that approach and recognise the creative economy as a component of the country's economic growth and development.
“The government alone cannot implement everything,” he said, adding that strong partnerships with the private sector and non-governmental organisations would be essential alongside public policy and funding.
The government has already allocated funds for the sector in the budget, he said, while the private sector is also coming forward with significant financing.
Outlining the government's plans, Khosru said local craftspeople, painters and cultural workers would receive financial assistance, skills development, design and branding support, and help marketing their products through international e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba.
He expressed hope that these initiatives would help marginalised artists and artisans secure fair prices for their products, improve their living standards, create jobs and generate foreign exchange.
Emphasising the role of culture in promoting Bangladesh internationally, he said the initiative was about more than art, crafts or business.
“This is not merely about art, crafts or business; it is Bangladesh's soft power. Our goal is to strengthen the country's position on the world stage through music, theatre, cinema and handicrafts,” he said.
Khosru thanked the organisers for the initiative and expressed optimism that joint efforts by the public and private sectors would bring significant cultural and economic change to the country.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke attended the programme as the special guest.