Liaquat Ali Lucky, the longest-tenured director general of the country’s principal state-sponsored national cultural centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), stepped down on Monday.

Citing personal reasons, Lucky sent his resignation letter to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs via WhatsApp on Monday afternoon, according to multiple sources. Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed confirmed that the resignation letter was submitted to the ministry.

Following the two-year term of the late distinguished writer and journalist Kamal Lohani, Liaquat Ali Lucky took charge of BSA as its Director General on April 7, 2011. Lucky's tenure as the Director General of BSA was extended for a record seventh time when he was reappointed in March 2023.

He was frequently called upon to step down due to corruption, nepotism, and several other allegations. The Anti-Corruption Commission has questioned him on allegations of corruption back in 2022.

Artists and theatre activists who have protested as part of the recent anti-discriminatory movement have also raised their voices against the corruption and injustice of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy during the tenure of Lucky and demanded his resignation several times.

Since Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister on August 5 and left the country, there have been reports of the resignation of the heads of various institutions. On Saturday, Bangla Academy Director General Professor Dr Md Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari also resigned from his post.