The Bangladesh government has brought back the “Notun Kuri” program on state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV), a talent hunt designed to engage children and young people in arts and culture.
Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam said the goal is to give the younger generation opportunities to practice music, dance, literature, and performance while offering them a platform to represent themselves nationally.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of “Notun Kuri-2025” at BTV headquarters in Dhaka’s Rampura on Sunday, Mahfuj highlighted the program’s history. “The program was first launched during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman in 1976. Later, the Sheikh Hasina government shut it down for political reasons,” he said.
He argued that the revival is meant to go beyond politics. “The current government is creating opportunities for children, adolescents and youths to flourish their talents, going above political considerations. Through this, artists, singers and cultural activists of the new generations will be developed, who will play an important role in nation-building,” he added.
Mahfuj also linked the initiative to broader aspirations for social change, recalling the July 2024 uprising. “Those of us who took part in and worked for the uprising had a common aspiration — to build a new Bangladesh and to establish a new country in a new shape for the next generation. That was our pledge.”
The format of the program remains largely unchanged. Competitions will be held in music, dance, recitation, presentation and storytelling. Traditional theme songs will be played, while a new one will be introduced every year.
Mahfuj emphasized that the recruitment will begin at the community level, proceeding through an open procedure founded on demonstrated ability, thus ensuring that the mechanisms of selection remain uninfluenced by patronage or arbitrariness.
“The government has no intention to favor or sideline anyone. Only those who are truly talented and capable of representing the nation will be brought forward. Special measures have been taken to reduce bias in the judging process. Anyone trying to manipulate the process will face action,” he said.
“Notun Kuri” was once considered an important cultural platform in Bangladesh, helping to discover young performers who later became well-known figures in the arts. The government hopes its revival will again shape a generation of creative voices.
