General Information

Title of project PROMOTING AND PRESERVING TRADITIONAL BANGALI CULTURE

AND PRACTISED BARENDRA REGION

Amount requested in US$ 100,000 as per budget

Name of applicant Shastho Shikkha Seba Foundation (SSSF)

Type of applicant: None-political, none-profitable social development voluntary

Organization
Country Bangladesh
Beneficiary country (ies) Bangladesh
Contact person: Rupon Kumar Dutta

Note: Representative of the applicant holding financial and administrative responsibility

for implementation of the project.
Title: Dutta
Family name Rupon

2. Aout the applicant

Shastho Shikkah Seba Foundation (SSSF) is a non-political, non-profitable social

development voluntary Organization. It was established in 2008. Since inception it has
been working with the poor pregnant women and children health nutrition and education,
young people, Char land & indigenous people of the community for their social-
economic and cultural development. SSSF started its work in Rajshahi at the beginning,
now it deserves legal rights/entity to work anywhere in Bangladesh. It has planned to
expand its activities to wider areas of Bengali culture with heritage and diversity as an
integrating development approach in rural and urban areas. The organization has working
relation with different Government Non-Government cultural development national level
organization.
The organization has received legal registration of the following Bangladesh Government
authorities
1. Department of Social Service: Registration No: Raj-930/2011, Dated: 3rd October
2011
2. Department of Youth Development: Registration No: 132091/Raj-252-Boalia Unit,
Dated: 23rd October 2011
3. Department of Youth Development: Societies ACT Registration No: Rajs-317,
Dated: 28 October 2010

Main activities of applicant:

1. Building social organization and resource mobilization towards sustainable

development
2. Enhancing people’s access to local resources and utilization
3. Support to protect and preserve folk cultural tradition, practices and heritage
4. Promoting health and clinical services
5. Child and mothers care program
6. Community Legal Services
7. Campaign on Citizen Rights to Information
8. Climate Change Adaptation with Disaster and Risk Reduction
9. Building awareness on women and child rights along with gender equity
10. Advocacy and Net-Working

Key staff members:

Sl. Name Designation Sl. Name Designation

1. Rupon Kumar Chirman 2 Mr. Sorot Chondro Village organizer
Rajuar
Dutta
3 Md. Abu Ahsan Project Director 4 Mr.Lalmohon Village organizer
Minch

5 Tapos Kumar Das Senior Accountant 6 Mrs.Sabina Khalko Village organizer

7 Mr.Maruf Hossain Project coordinator 8 Mr.Manik Akka Village organizer

cum Information
Officer
9 Samar Michael Monitoring and IT 10 Mrs.Jharna Lakra Village organizer
Soren Officer
11 Joydeb Kumar Das Documentation & 12 Mr.Ovilal Village organizer
Reporting Officer Sarkar(Toppo)

13 Durga Rani Das Training 14 Mr.Shamol Kumar Village organizer

Coordinator, Shing

15 Mr. Sumon Mardi Accountant 16 Mrs.Minoti Shoren Village organizer

17 Mst. Shabnam Asst. Project 18 Mr.Durjoy Dhon Village organizer

Mustari coordinator cum Khalko
Gender Trainer
 3. Contractors and partnerships

Paid partners:

1. Rajshahi Art College

2. Hindol Cultural Goshthi

3. Rajshahi Adibashi Sangho

4. Panna dance, Rajshahi

5. Rajshahi Theater

Non- paid partners:

1. 1. Rajshahi Shilpakala Academy

2. Rajshahi Divisional Ethnic Cultural Academy

3. Department of Fine Arts, Rajshahi University

4. Department of Drama and Music Rajshahi University

5. Department of Phonetics, Rajshahi University

Project Description
.1 Length of the project: Total 24 months
Please note that the project implementation period should be between 12 and 24 months
and that all projects shall begin three months from the date of approval at earliest.

Beginning Date: 01.01.2017

End Date: 31.12.2018

2 Brief summary of the project

Please provide a brief summary description of the project. (150 to 250 words)

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Culture is the picture of the entire life of a sociality. Our
everyday’s life-style & workings is the bearer of a culture. The main elements of culture is,
knowledge, believe, education, language, tradition, laws etc. & many more things which helps a
man/woman to makes him popular in his/her society & also member of a nation. Bangladesh has
got this thing in front for dignify its image. On the 23 rd section of the constitution of Peoples
Republic of Bangladesh, have topics about maintaining the national culture, written that Country
will preserve the cultures & traditions of people & will improve the national language, cultures &
fine arts that people of every kind can participate to improve those. Considering these issues
SSSF has decided to implement the project Godagari and Paba Upazolas under Rjshahi districts,
where SSSF is working since 2003 with the stakeholders Govt. Non- Government sectors. Five
cultural team will be organized initially in each upazila consisted of 15-21 member in each team
and three youth team will be formed in each upazila (age 13-16).Training on their traditional arts
and culture will be provided each team will be provided musical instrument used for folk song
and dance. Upazila wise coordination team and district level cultural team will be formulated to
maintain necessary relation and communication with other stakeholders.

3 Local context and complementary of the project with other regional, national and
local policies/ measures/ programs/ projects

Political Changes: The general people across the country had to face different kind of hardship
when the political situation in Bangladesh became more unrest in 2013 compared to the previous
years. The ruling party Awami League-led alliance and the BNP-led opposition alliance could not
come to compromise over the issue of holding the next parliamentary election. The ruling alliance
wanted to hold election as per constitution and opposition demanded next general election under a
caretaker non-party government. Therefore the opposition alliance declared several spells of
countrywide blockade to mount pressure on the government. However, most of the people in the
country were facing uncertain and conflicting situation, which created unpleasant effect on the daily
life of the people. Especially the poor people including ethnic communities, daily labourers, small
retailers, rickshaw paddlers and van poolers, farmers were worse sufferers of the political destruction
during the period in the project areas. Consequently, several innocent general people died in separate
incidents and clashes during last couple of months in 2013. Some political activists are involved in
attacking people of minority/ethnic community in different parts of the country. They damaged their
properties, temples of Hindus and numbers of houses set on fire by some agitated evils groups,
insisted by some vested fundamentalists. The general people are terrified and frustrated due to these
immovable situations, small trading and business centres were seriously affected since long. Though,
the different foreign delegations/diplomats had taken initiatives to break and minimize political
deadlock by paving the way for holding the election free and fair. But they were blaming each other
and tolerance among both the parties had gone down, therefore, the people were getting fed up with
the continued political destruction running in the country. The different types of monetary corruption
by the politicians and persons involved in formulating national policy and the deadlock of
democratic exercises and the spiny growth of national economy, industrial sectors etc. and
consequently the poor people were the victim of that situation. The employment opportunities, other
small business including investment and entrepreneurship had long been affected in the country .

Social Changes: During the period the socio-economic structure in Godagari and Paba Upazilas was
damaged due to political destruction which affects the marketing channel of agriculture production,
so the rate of marginalization of rural people was increased. People had to lose their employment
opportunities. Some of them were bound to sell out their own land for their livelihood. In the poor
families the children were forced to sell labour with a very minimum wage rate. Under the socio-
political situation of the reporting period the share of women in wage employment in the agriculture
and non-agriculture sector is quite low. The promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of
women require fundamental transformation in the distribution of power, opportunities, and outcomes
for both men and women. However, the ethnic women under Godagari and Paba Upazilas could able
to participate in different socio-economic activities and developing women leadership in their
society as well as improving dignity in the families. The traditional culture and religious practices
were long time ignored and most of them are going to forget their practices due to influence of other
religious communities and also acculturation. Now they have started their traditional cultural and
religious practices at family level, like Karam, Fagua, Goal worships etc. It is to mention that in
some Muslim dominated villages they also face hindrance from the other neighboring communities
in observing their traditional events. Development of leadership among the ethnic communities is
not acceptable by the other communities as a result the leading people of the ethnic communities are
being assaulted in some cases some time for political reasons.
Economic Changes: Under the Godagari and Paba Upazilas the organized ethnic, dalit and
marginalized people are now encouraged to solve economic crisis for their livelihood through
individual and joint income generating projects, capital formation and household production. The
community people can send their children to school, able to meet treatment cost. A few of them have
installed deep tube-well for irrigation purpose and numbers of families are trying to get electricity
connection. Besides, the rural road communication is improving gradually.
Possible and actual effects on the work and on the overall objective/overall goal of the project
SSSF works in remote areas of Barind tract under northern-west part of Bangladesh, however the
above mentioned political unrest situation, social and economic changes did not affect the ongoing
cultural development through social organisation. People participated in the project actives like
regular people’s organisational activities, food savings and transaction and other socio-cultural
activities etc, accordingly though there were some political, social and economic problems and
disturbances, but SSSF could implement its schedule activities except some training. The political,
social and economic countrywide crisis occurred in the reporting period, did not affect the goal and
objectives of the project. Through the implementation of the cultural development sustainable food
security project tried to unite the scattered ethnic people under Godagari and Paba Upazilas village
based organisation. Previously they had very informal social structure only to observe social and
religious festivals but having no initiatives towards socio-economic improvement and to remove the
poverty, landlessness, eviction, food crisis, starving, chronic mal-nutrition, etc. However, women
have come up gradually in taking leadership and management of the village based community
organisations. Participation of women in all respect has been increased significantly. The
involvement of women in social activities outside the families was previously very insignificant.
Location of the project: The proposed project will be implemented at Godagari and Paba Upazilas
under Rajshahi districts Five cultural team will be organized initially in each upazila consisted of 15-
21 member in each team and three youth team will be formed in each upazila (age 13-16).Training
on their traditional arts and culture will be provided each team will be provided musical instrument
used for folk song and dance. Upazila wise coordination team and district level cultural team will be
formulated to maintain necessary relation and communication with other stakeholders.

Possible and actual effects on the work and on the overall objective/overall goal
of the project
SSSF works in remote areas of Barind tract under northern-west part of Bangladesh, however
the above mentioned political unrest situation, social and economic changes did not affect the
ongoing cultural development through social organisation. People participated in the project
actives like regular people’s organisational activities, food savings and transaction and other
socio-cultural activities etc, accordingly though there were some political, social and economic
problems and disturbances, but SSSF could implement its schedule activities except some
training. The political, social and economic countrywide crisis occurred in the reporting period, did
not affect the goal and objectives of the project.Through the implementation of the cultural
development sustainable food security project tried to unite the scattered ethnic people under
Godagari and Paba Upazilas village based organisation. Previously they had very informal social
structure only to observe social and religious festivals but having no initiatives towards socio-
economic improvement and to remove the poverty, landlessness, eviction, food crisis, starving,
chronic mal-nutrition, etc. However, women have come up gradually in taking leadership and
management of the village based community organisations. Participation of women in all respect
has been increased significantly. The involvement of women in social activities outside the
families was previously very insignificant.

4.4. Objectives
By following the traditional cultures, to maintain the existence of all the
communities in working areas along with having their religious believes.

The project objectives are to protect and preserve the traditional indigenous cultural practices
with a meaning full progress and diversity. This will include bio-diversity, racial diversity,
linguistic diversity, religious diversity, artistic diversity, etc. highlighting whenever the comity
of humankind bring nations together for a world free of fear.
To promote and protect the cultural diversity of daily life i.e. food habited, food preparation,
production, using commodities etc.
To protect religious festivals, tradition and culture, where equal participation of both male and
female are ensured and to be transmitted following generation. The project will provide more
opportunity to younger generation.
Cultural diversity is based on the idea that cultural identities of each component of a given
population should get equal importance to give a diverse and colourful cultural fabric to a
nation. But in fact it also remains that if anyone is to look closely at Bangladesh, they might
overlook the aspect of diversity because 98% percent of the people speak Bangla, so
linguistically they are very homogeneous as well. The vast majority of the population of at
least 89% is Muslims and most of its inhabitants come from an Aryan-Mongoloid-Dravidian
mix.
The project will emphsise indigeneous cultural and religious practices at family and social
level, like Sarol, Sohorae, Karam, Fagua, Gowal worships etc., but traditional music,
observance of pohela boishak, Language day, wedding ceremony , Architecture and heritage,
sports, religion lifestyle, Clothe and linkage with other culture with keeping the separate
identity are mostly considered.

The main points are as follows:

 To combine the cultural works with the entire financial development.
 To maintain the cultural development between the ethnic communities, & keep a good
relation between them.
 Accept the good things in the culture & stop the bad things. And maintaining basic rules of
National Cultural Policy
 To take proper actions for safeguard and promote the cultures of thousand years of the people
living in this land and the ideals of freedom war of the country
 To take necessary steps for the proper widening of our national culture & have it in the
national development

Short term objectives are what you hope to achieve during the time period of your
project.
 At least 20 selected villages have equipped 20 cultural teams
 80% of the villagers (men and women) of the selected villages’ are functionally
members of cultural organizations under their own management.
 All members about 80% will respect their own culture, rites, rituals and practices
  60% of the organized villagers are aware to need of protecting their heritage and
cultural diversity.
 All villages are practicing their own socio-cultural festivals and traditions.

Long term objectives are benefits that are drawn well after the completion of your
project.
People in total 20 villages of Godagari and Paba upazilas in Rajshahi district are
systematically and successfully working to uphold their cultural excellence and
diversity according to project requirements.

Please check if these objectives contribute to the following and explain how

Check list of the objectives and explanation of contribution

 Promoting gender equity: Irrespective of male and female will be the
member of cultural team and their every right is ensured to participate in the
intervention.
 Empowerment of youth: Priority is given to the youth members for
transmission of ethnic culture and heritage for saving from any kind of
operation and aggression
 Promotion of South-South/North-South- South Cooperation: The project
will have no restriction all sorts of cooperation are expected through
suggestion, sharing literature/culture and expose visits.
 Participation of various social groups in the areas of intervention of the
IFCD: The applicant organization has been giving intensive attention since
2009 on rural culture and practices, because good practices of rural society are
now most threatened on account of acculturation and frequent aggression of
western music and culture. Therefore, SSSF has no reservation and
confinement to this respect.

Contribution to the IFCD's expected results

 Developing cultural policy for promoting diversity of cultural expressions

 Organizing 20 villages in Godagari and Paba Upazilas of Rajshahi district,
initially
 Organizing 20 cultural teams for 20 selected villages consisted of culturally
advance 15- 21 members male/female
 Arrangement of intensive training at least 10 batches under capacity building
 Providing 20 set musical instruments with skill training under capacity
building
 Formation of cultural coordination team and training towards sustainability
 Incorporation of youth members for sustainability and transformation cultural
arts for future generation.
  Arranging quarterly workshops with young groups and cultural competitions,
total 8 nos.
 Recruitment and training of field staff 1 Chief Trainer and 2 Supervisors cum
Trainers

Expected results and main activities

 Target people will be more skilled and capable for agricultural production by
adopting some cultural traditions
 People can perform fine- arts and all religious and cultural festivals
 They will put back /reinstate their old cultural practices, in terms of food habit,
religious practices, cultural traditions, dress, dance, song etc.

Sustainability

 Institutionalizing their cultural practices and traditions

 Mobilizing young generation for cultural transformation
 Building relationships and commitment and trust on the practices
 Encouraging them for media coverage and participation in national level
demonstration
 Mobilizing resources, raising diverse funding sources, trough grants, fees,
services, volunteers, donation and campaigning for fund
 Money must be more controlled and kept at bank and any transaction must be
through resolution
 The performing groups will be flexible to accept or accommodate any good
changes.