Syed Jamil Ahmed resigns as Shilpakala Academy DG

Eminent theatre personality and academician Syed Jamil Ahmed has announced his resignation from the position of director general (DG) of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).

He made the sudden announcement on Friday evening while attending the closing ceremony of the first Munier Choudhury National Theatre Festival, organised by the academy’s training department.

Jamil Ahmed, who took charge as the Shilpakala Academy DG on 10 September last year following the political transition, is stepping down after five and a half months in office.

During the event, he handed over his resignation letter to BSA secretary Mohammad Wares Hossain on stage. However, the secretary clarified that accepting the resignation was beyond his jurisdiction.

"As the secretary of Shilpakala Academy, I have only received the letter, but no official or employee of the academy has accepted it," Wares Hossain stated before the audience.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, Syed Jamil Ahmed cited administrative interference and bureaucratic obstacles as key reasons behind his decision. He claimed that he was unable to work independently and faced frequent delays in securing necessary allocations for the academy’s development.

He further alleged that lack of cooperation from the government officials and employees, and issues related to corruption and syndicates made it difficult for him to fulfill his responsibilities.

Born on 7 April, 1955, in Dhaka, he is the founding chairman of the department of theatre and performance studies at Dhaka University, where he has been teaching for over three decades.