Creative economy needs policy reforms to unlock growth potential: Experts

Bangladesh's creative economy needs supportive policies, structural reforms and measurable performance benchmarks to emerge as a sustainable driver of economic growth, experts said at a discussion on Saturday.
They welcomed the government's first dedicated budget allocation for the sector but said its success would depend on effective implementation, regulatory reforms and stronger public-private collaboration.
The observations came at a webinar titled "Creative Economy: Slogan or Untapped Potential?" organised by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC).
In a major policy shift, the FY2026-27 national budget has, for the first time, earmarked a Tk 8.0 billion work plan for the creative economy. The package includes Tk 3.0 billion in direct budgetary support and another Tk 5.0 billion from Bangladesh Bank's corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund.
The initiative aims to increase the sector's contribution to GDP, create nearly 500,000 jobs and build a "Created in Bangladesh" brand across industries such as film, music, publishing, digital content and design.
The discussion was moderated by PPRC Executive Chairman Hossain Zillur Rahman. Participants included filmmaker and creative entrepreneur Tanim Noor, Chorki CEO Redwan Rony, Bengal Foundation Director General Luva Nahid Choudhury, playwright and actor Bakar Bakul, UPL Managing Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin, and Classical Handmade Products (CHP) Managing Director Md. Tauhid Bin Abdus Salam.
Tanim Noor called for a dedicated tax policy for the creative economy, saying targeted incentives would help attract greater investment.
"Providing tax incentives, such as a 50 per cent tax exemption for the film industry, could significantly increase investment in Bangladeshi cinema, making the sector more attractive to both existing and new investors," he said.
Redwan Rony said the government should prioritise infrastructure development alongside reforms to taxation and licensing policies to strengthen the film industry.
He noted that Bangladeshi content produced for over-the-top (OTT) platforms is currently taxed under the general corporate tax structure, while no dedicated policy framework exists for the sector.
As a result, global streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon generate revenue from Bangladeshi audiences without facing the same tax obligations as domestic OTT platforms, leaving local companies at a competitive disadvantage, he said.
Luva Nahid Choudhury said Bangladesh has no shortage of creative talent, but the ecosystem needed to nurture, commercialise and scale that talent remains underdeveloped.
Summing up the discussion, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said Bangladesh now needs a policy ecosystem that reflects the creative economy's growing potential.
"A one-dimensional infrastructure approach will not take us forward. We need quality infrastructure backed by sustainable management models based on public-private partnerships," he said.
He also called for policy reforms covering taxation, royalty sharing, copyright protection and licensing.
"The government has expressed an interest in taking the sector forward. But to ensure sustainable results, stakeholders within the sector must also come together independently to develop a strategic roadmap for its future," he added.
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