Bangladesh is looking to turn its art and cultural industries into a more commercially viable economic sector, with the government planning to expand financial support, improve market access and create employment opportunities by bringing creative work into mainstream economic activity.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury outlined the initiative on Saturday while speaking as chief guest at the launch of 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, stressing that the country had yet to fully realise the economic potential of its creative sector.
Drawing a comparison with London’s theatre district, he said spending on theatre tickets, nearby galleries, shops and related businesses contributed to Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“Why don’t we create the same environment in Bangladesh?” he asked.
The minister said the government was working with private businesses and non-governmental organisations to develop the sector, acknowledging that the government alone was not always in a position to deliver the necessary support.
Funding had been earmarked in the national budget for the initiative, with further contributions expected from private-sector partners, he said.
Illustrating the potential for artists to earn more through better market access, Amir Khosru cited the example of an artist from the hill regions who had sold paintings to him for Tk 5,000 each.
After an exhibition arranged with Bengal Foundation, similar works fetched between Tk 50,000 and Tk 100,000 apiece, he said.
The government plans to support artisans through financing, design development, branding and marketing, while helping them sell their products online through international platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba.
Such interventions could double the prices artisans receive for their work, the minister said, adding that expanding the market for creative products would generate jobs and earn foreign currency.
“This is a soft power for Bangladesh,” he said, highlighting the sector’s potential to strengthen the country’s international profile alongside its economic contribution.
British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke attended the event as special guest. The book was jointly unveiled by the minister and the high commissioner, alongside 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 publication documents the artistic movements and creative voices that have shaped Bangladesh’s art over more than a century, featuring the work of 32 artists.
“Art offers a unique way of understanding a nation: its identity, its evolution and the imagination of its people,” Enamul Huque said.
The initiative comes amid efforts to broaden Bangladesh’s economic opportunities beyond conventional industries by developing creative enterprises, improving the commercial value of cultural products and connecting local artists and artisans with wider markets.