BBS survey data: Museums and circuses yield higher revenues, theatre lags behind

Public interest in creative and cultural pursuits—such as theatre, drama, and cinema—has experienced a notable decline. Consequently, fewer individuals are willing to spend money to attend musical events or stage performances.

This shift has led to a concomitant reduction in revenue for the organisations involved in these productions. Conversely, there remains a stronger public willingness to pay for entertainment such as circuses and band shows. As a result, the earnings of enterprises managing these events have surpassed those of organisations dedicated to drama, cinema, and music.

These insights emerged from a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), which evaluated 318 organisations operating within the cultural and entertainment sectors.

The bureau’s findings reveal that during the 2023–24 financial year, entities associated with events like circuses, band shows, and orchestras accumulated revenues of approximately Tk 220 million. In stark contrast, organisations dedicated to creative, live cultural performances—including music, dance, and opera—generated a mere Tk 762,000.

The BBS undertook this study to assess and evaluate the economic activities and contributions of the art and entertainment sectors.

Conducted between June and July of last year, the survey used the 2022–23 and 2023–24 financial years as its baseline.

The BBS noted that no such study had previously been conducted for these specific sectors. While the bureau acknowledged that the sample size may not fully represent the entire industry, it provides a foundational understanding of these sectors. Notably, the survey did not include distinct data regarding cinema.

These activities should not be evaluated solely through a financial lens. They are deeply intertwined with vital aspects of national identity, including culture, civilisation, intellectual refinement, and psychological development. Therefore, the national and social value added by these pursuits far outweighs their immediate financial worth.

Meanwhile, according to the latest GDP figures from the BBS, the art and entertainment sector contributes 0.15 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), representing a monetary value of Tk 53.43 billion (5,343 crore).

The BBS indicated that while the sector’s overall contribution to the GDP rises marginally each year, creative segments such as music, dance, and theatre remain in a precarious state.

Prominent figures within the industry emphasise that generating economic value from creative endeavours like music, dance, and theatre requires substantial initial investment. In Bangladesh, there is a severe deficit in such funding.

The individuals involved in these initiatives largely work on a voluntary basis, financing the projects out of their own pockets. Consequently, it is entirely expected that financial returns will remain negligible in fields devoid of public or private institutional investment. 

Experts argue, however, that these activities should not be evaluated solely through a financial lens. They are deeply intertwined with vital aspects of national identity, including culture, civilisation, intellectual refinement, and psychological development. Therefore, the national and social value added by these pursuits far outweighs their immediate financial worth.

Furthermore, these events frequently face domestic social pressures, obstructions, and negative campaigns. Such factors have gradually alienated the general public from these cultural functions. Even at the domestic level, parental initiatives to involve children in cultural activities have dwindled compared to previous generations.

Commenting on the issue, Samina Luthfa, a professor in the Department of Sociology at Dhaka University, remarked that cultural activities—including national drama and theatre—suffer from a lack of state and commercial patronage.

She stressed that without large-scale, long-term capital investment, achieving any visible, significant financial turnaround in this sector is impossible. Nevertheless, the non-monetary value added by these cultural activities is immense, playing a crucial role in nation-building and social cohesion.

Samina Luthfa, Professor, Sociology department, Dhaka UniversityThe creative sector cannot be dismissed as insignificant. For sustainable cultural progression, it must be integrated into a broader framework supported by long-term government policy and robust fiscal investment.

According to her, to enhance the sector’s economic viability, prioritisation must be given to both public and private investment.

Professor Samina Luthfa further observed that whilst the survey highlights the sector’s revenue figures, it lacks corresponding investment data. Consequently, it remains impossible to draw comparisons regarding revenue generated relative to capital invested.

The BBS stated that its records include 10,019 public and private institutions operating within the art and entertainment domains. The survey was conducted on a sample of 318 institutions selected from this broader pool.

Revenue leaders and laggards

According to the survey data, the highest revenue streams across all art and entertainment mediums were generated by the circus, orchestra, and band music sectors.

Organisations managing these events earned Tk 220 million (22 crore) during the 2023–24 financial year. During the same period, the second-highest revenue was generated by museums and historical sites, with these institutions collecting over Tk 190 million (19 crore) from visitors. In addition, zoological gardens, botanical gardens, public and private sports clubs, amusement parks, and theme parks collectively generated over Tk 40 million (4 crore).

The BBS report indicates that the revenue generated by organisations involved in theatre, music concerts, dance, and opera remains comparatively low. In the 2023–24 financial year, the cumulative revenue for these entities stood at approximately Tk 800,000. Whilst museums and band music events command millions of taka, creative sectors like music and drama yield only a few hundred thousand.

Organisational architecture

Among the institutions surveyed, the largest segment comprised 87 state-owned entities. The remainder included 75 sole proprietorships, 50 partnerships, 20 family-owned partnerships, and six private limited companies.

Samina Luthfa, Professor, Sociology department, Dhaka UniversityThe global prominence currently enjoyed by Indian and South Korean cinema and television drama did not occur overnight; these nations invested heavily and consistently in their creative economies and training infrastructures over several decades.

In addition, there were 80 organisations whose ownership structures were not explicitly defined. The total number of proprietors across these entities stood at 580, of whom 90 per cent were male. This indicates a low level of female participation in the leadership of art and entertainment institutions. Furthermore, the 318 surveyed institutions accounted for a total workforce of just over 6,000 individuals.

BBS data indicates that employment costs (salaries and allowances for permanent staff) constitute a major expenditure for these organisations. In the 2023–24 financial year, expenditure on salaries alone amounted to Tk 850 million (85 crore). Beyond personnel costs, utilities (such as electricity, gas, and water), artist fees, event management, registration, rent, internet, stationery, and cleaning services brought additional operational expenses to Tk 260–270 million (26–27 crore) annually.

The data demonstrates that operational expenditures outpace total revenues; during the 2023–24 financial year, the institutions recorded a combined revenue of Tk 550 million (55 crore).

The BBS clarified that large-scale entities like museums, parks, cultural centres, public libraries, and the Shilpakala Academy dominate the art and entertainment sector. These institutions receive public funding, the bulk of which is allocated to staff salaries and allowances, resulting in lower revenue generation.

According to it, this imbalance arises because the government heavily subsidises ticket pricing and other public amenities. Consequently, the art and entertainment sector as a whole exhibits expenditures that outstrip total earnings.

The report also noted a seasonal trend: public expenditure on art and entertainment rises significantly during the winter months compared to the summer season.

Government focus on creative economy

The current BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) government is placing special emphasis on the creative economy to foster indigenous cultural development.

The government aims to enhance the value-added tax contribution from the creative economy, initiating various state sponsorships and support mechanisms to this end. For the current 2026–27 financial year, a state budgetary allocation of Tk 3 billion (300 crore) has been earmarked for the creative economy. Furthermore, the national budget outlines an additional allocation of Tk 5 billion from Bangladesh Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund for this sector.

In his budget speech, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury stated that initiatives would be undertaken to develop cultural tourism through the restoration of cultural, regional, and heritage sites. A series of month-specific and theme-specific national and regional calendars will be curated, integrating national, cultural, and regional festivals alongside river- and civilisation-based heritage events. Specialised zones dedicated to art, music, and theatre will also be developed as vital sub-sectors for employment. These measures are designed to elevate the living standards of artistes and technicians whilst expanding recreational opportunities for citizens.

Analysts maintain that the entertainment sector possesses significant potential to increase its contribution to the economy, provided it receives adequate public and private patronage.

Reiterating this view, Professor Samina Luthfa asserted that to achieve substantial success in the creative sector, the government must commit to long-term, structured investment.

Stating that the global prominence currently enjoyed by Indian and South Korean cinema and television drama did not occur overnight, she pointed out these nations invested heavily and consistently in their creative economies and training infrastructures over several decades.

The creative sector cannot be dismissed as insignificant, she insisted.

For sustainable cultural progression, it must be integrated into a broader framework supported by long-term government policy and robust fiscal investment, Samina Luthfa added.