Syed Jamil Ahmed, the renowned theatre personality and academician, has announced his resignation as the Director General (DG) of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
He made the announcement on Friday evening during the closing ceremony of the inaugural Munier Choudhury National Theatre Festival, organized by the academy’s training department.
Ahmed, who assumed the role of DG on September 10 of the previous year after a political transition, is stepping down after just five and a half months in the position.
At the event, he handed over his resignation letter to BSA Secretary Mohammad Wares Hossain on stage. However, Hossain clarified that he could not accept the resignation, as it was beyond his authority.
In his speech, Syed Jamil Ahmed explained that administrative interference and bureaucratic hurdles were the primary reasons for his resignation. He mentioned that he struggled to work independently and faced continuous delays in securing necessary funding for the academy's progress.
He also pointed to a lack of cooperation from government officials and staff, as well as issues of corruption and syndicates, which hindered his ability to carry out his duties effectively.
Born on April 7, 1955, in Dhaka, Ahmed is the founding chair of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at Dhaka University, where he has been teaching for over three decades.
