Mustafa Zaman resigns as Director of Fine Arts at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Mustafa Zaman has stepped down from his role as the director of the Fine Arts Department at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), marking another major leadership change at the country’s premier state-run cultural institution.

Confirming the matter, Academy Secretary Mohammad Wares Hossain told several media on Thursday that he received Mustafa Zaman’s resignation letter yesterday (Tuesday).

“The letter has not yet been forwarded to the ministry, but it is likely to be sent soon. He cited personal reasons for his resignation,” according to the BSA secretary.

Zaman’s departure comes just four months after the Academy’s last Director General, noted theatre personality and academic Professor Syed Jamil Ahmed, abruptly resigned during a public event on February 28. In a later statement, Ahmed had accused the institution of excessive bureaucratic complexity and interference from the cultural advisor.

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Following the political reshuffle in August last year, BSA’s longtime DG Liaquat Ali Lucky resigned, and Prof Syed Jamil Ahmed was appointed on a two-year term starting September 9.

Subsequently, on September 30, the Academy appointed new directors to six of its departments. Mustafa Zaman was given charge of the Fine Arts Department, alongside Faiz Zahir (Theatre and Film), Mehjabeen Rahman (Music, Dance and Recitation), Tanzim Wahab (Research and Publication), Abdul Halim Chanchal (Production), and FM Nurur Rahman (Training).

With the DG position currently vacant again, many observers believe that a state of stagnation has gripped the Academy’s operations.

Beyond his administrative role, Mustafa Zaman is widely respected as a prominent visual artist, art critic, analyst, and writer. His writings have appeared in The Daily Observer, The Daily Star, Dhaka Courier, and other national and international publications.