Ministry of Cultural Affairs

The Ministry is currently balancing the modernization and international promotion of Bangladeshi heritage with the need to address administrative inefficiencies and support grassroots practitioners.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has two political heads as of February 17, 2026: Nitai Roy Chowdhury (BNP, Magura-2) as full Minister and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam (BNP, Rajbari-1) as State Minister. current_head reflects the full Minister per schema convention. The ministry's established_year is recorded as 1972, when the Cultural Affairs and Sports Division was created under the Ministry of Education on 26 May 1972; it was reconstituted as a standalone ministry in 2001. The FY2025-26 budget of Tk 824 crore (BDT 8,240,000,000) is specifically for the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and is cross-confirmed by UNB and The Financial Express; this is distinct from the broader 'culture, information, religion, and sports' cluster. The Pahela Baishakh procession renaming from 'Mangal Shobhajatra' to 'Baishakhi Shobhajatra' is the most consequential domestic policy decision in the 90-day window, drawing protest from Udichi. Key subordinate bodies: Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (64 district branches), Bangla Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Copyright Office, Bangladesh Film Archive, and the National Archives.