Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has questioned some of the issues raised by Syed Jamil Ahmed in his statement while handing his resignation as the director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at a public event.

The cultural arena was shaken by the sudden resignation of Syed Jamil during the closing ceremony of the Munier Chowdhury Prothom Jatiya Natyautsav (Munier Chowdhury First National Theatre Festival) on Friday night.

In his resignation, Jamil Ahmed cited various "bureaucratic challenges" and "restrictions on artistic expression", among other reasons.

Farooki shed light on the circumstances surrounding Jamil Ahmed's resignation through a Facebook status yesterday.

"I have long admired Syed Jamil Ahmed's work. In fact, I wrote what may be the most in-depth article about his work ever published in a Bangladeshi newspaper, in the Jai Jai Din's entertainment magazine Mouchake Dheel. Since then, I've written for several Bangla and English newspapers. Even today, I regard him as the most talented director in Bangladesh's theatre. Just a few days ago, I asked a foreign ambassador in front of him to have Jamil Ahmed direct a theatre production in their country," Farooki shared.

He then discussed the challenges of navigating a bureaucratic environment.

"Being a talented artiste and effectively running an institution in a bureaucratic system are two different skills. The latter requires patience and management abilities. You can achieve a lot through love and respect without intimidating your colleagues. However, the attitude needed to work in a government institution differs from the one needed to lead a theatre troupe. What works in my film unit doesn't work in a government institution," he explained.

Farooki also expressed his reluctance to discuss Jamil Ahmed's resignation in detail.

"I didn't want to comment on Jamil Bhai's dramatic resignation because doing so would require mentioning things that would make him uncomfortable. I didn't want to do that out of respect. But now, I feel the need to speak up. We have much to do today, and I'll write more on it when I have time," he said.

The adviser further questioned some of the statements made by Jamil Ahmed.

"For now, I'll say this: many things he said aren't entirely accurate, some are outright false, and some seem to come from frustration due to not being able to manage certain situations. Writing about this in detail may embarrass him, but I'm compelled to speak the truth, even if it's uncomfortable for him," Farooki added.

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"I wish him all the best. The ministry would be honoured if it could assist with his creative endeavours. Although our areas of work differ, I'd gladly be of service to him even after I leave my position," the adviser concluded.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam declined to comment on the matter at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

"The cultural affairs adviser has already addressed the matter on his Facebook page. This was a personal decision by the director general, and I have no further comments," he said.

"He [Syed Jamil] served with us for six months, which we consider an honour. He is a distinguished playwright and a leading figure in Bangladesh's theatre scene. We hope he will continue to enrich the country's cultural landscape."