Renowned poet of the 1980s and member-secretary of the National Poetry Council, Rezauddin Stalin, has been appointed as the new Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy by the government. On Sunday, he formally took charge after joining the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Mohammad Warez Hossain, Secretary of Shilpakala Academy, confirmed that Stalin has joined the ministry and will soon assume office at the academy.
In recognition of his contribution to poetry, he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2006. Poet Mohon Raihan, convener of the National Poetry Council, termed this appointment a “moment of pride for literature.”
It may be recalled that following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 last year amid student and mass protests, Liaquat Ali Lucky resigned as Director General. Later, theatre director Professor Syed Jamil Ahmed was appointed for two years, but he resigned on February 28 this year amid allegations against the ministry. Since then, the responsibility had been temporarily managed by the academy secretary and later by an additional secretary of the ministry.
Now, within a week of the interim arrangement, poet Rezauddin Stalin has been entrusted with the leadership of the Shilpakala Academy.