He further emphasised that his position had lost meaning
Syed Jamil Ahmed, a theatre figure and founding chairman of Dhaka University’s Department of Drama and Music, has revealed the reason for his resignation.
His sudden decision to resign as Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy was announced on February 28, 2025.
Ahmed stated that resignations, when self-motivated, often appear abrupt.
However, he had been considering this step for some time due to bureaucratic roadblocks that made his role ineffective.
Ahmed had planned to complete the Academy’s annual fiscal year plan before stepping down.
However, tensions with the institution’s adviser and budget allocation disputes with the Ministry of Finance accelerated his departure.
Calling the relationship with the adviser “toxic”, he said his ability to function independently was increasingly undermined.
In an interview, Ahmed asserted that his resignation was a statement against the lack of moral integrity in governance.
He argued that power should be exercised for the public good, not personal gain.
When authority is misused, leaders either become despots or lose their dignity by yielding to pressure.
He further emphasised that his position had lost meaning when he could no longer work in the Academy’s best interests.
While alternatives existed, they would have required compromising with unethical practices.
He had refused to ignore the corruption, which he said was suffocating the Academy’s independence and hindering cultural progress.
Syed Jamil Ahmed’s friction with the Academy’s adviser was not new.
He claimed that after a change in leadership, his proposals were continuously obstructed.
Plans to renovate 12 auditoriums nationwide stalled as the adviser side-lined him, appointing the Academy’s secretary as the Ministry’s focal point instead.
Efforts to eliminate corruption within the institution also met resistance.
Ahmed stopped employees from receiving extra honorariums for work they were already paid to do.
He also banned the misuse of Academy resources for personal events hosted by government officials.
These reforms created internal divisions, leading to file theft and sabotage.
One major breaking point came when the adviser asked Ahmed to approve payment for a video project he knew nothing about.
Ahmed refused without written authorisation, sparking a heated argument.
Addressing criticism from the adviser, Ahmed dismissed allegations that his statements were false or driven by frustration.
He stated that his nearly 50 years at Dhaka University and his studies in the arts earned him a reputation for integrity.
Ahmed asserted:
“No one can call me a liar.”
He further argued that if accountability mattered, the cultural adviser should also resign.
He pointed to the recent Bangla Academy Literary Award controversy, blaming the adviser for mishandling the situation and tarnishing the institution’s reputation.
Ahmed had taken the Director General role under the condition that the Academy would have full autonomy.
He had stepped away from his teaching career and his theatre group to serve the institution.
Syed Jamil Ahmed’s resignation has left the cultural community divided, with many questioning the governance of artistic institutions in Bangladesh.
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