AA: You are a successful businessman and an esteemed entrepreneur in Bangladesh. Though you are occupied with business you are enthusiastic about art and culture too. Wherefrom do you get inspiration to love art and culture?
Rajeeb Samdani: Actually we have a foundation named Samdani Foundation. It works basically on arts. We want to support and promote young Bangladeshi artists. I and my wife Nadia Samdani, Co-Founder and President of the Samdani Art Foundation (SAF) and Director of Dhaka Art Summit started the Samdani Art Foundation to support local artists and promote Bangladeshi and South Asian art in the region and around the world.
Samdani Art Foundation funds, facilitates, and participates in a variety of projects as part of our commitment to increasing art-engagement in Bangladesh and broadening the creative horizons of the country's artists and architects.
AA: Do you have any plan to institutionalize your love for art and culture?
Rajeeb Samdani: Yes, I have a plan to institutionalize our love for art and culture. Srihatta - Samdani Art Centre and Sculpture Park is currently under construction with plans to open its first phase in late 2018. Srihatta is being designed by Aga Khan prize winning Bangladeshi architect Kashef Mahboob Chowhdury. It will be located on a 100+ acres outdoor site in Sylhet, Bangladesh with a 5,000 square feet indoor exhibition space to house works from the Samdani Collection.
SAF will also commission new works for Srihatta by South Asian and international artists. This space will aim to improve the existing public art infrastructure in the country, as well as increase accessibility to contemporary art, reaching a wider number Bangladeshi audiences.
AA: What types of artworks do you highlight?
Rajeeb samdani: Samdani Art Foundation works from the collection are regularly lent to institutions and festivals around the globe as part of SAF's commitment to increasing international engagement with Bangladeshi and South Asian artists. South Asian and diaspora highlights include works by Anish Kapoor, Gaganendranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Huma Bhabha, Naeem Mohaiemen, Rana Begum, Raqs Media Collective, Shilpa Gupta, Shahzia Sikander, Novera Ahmed, and Zarina Hashimi. We also collect international art, an invaluable study tool for local arts enthusiasts and students.
AA: What kind of problems you face in business sector?
Rajeeb samdani: Bangladesh is a land of opportunities. We have same complications also. Growth rate of our country is near about 7%. It is a country of huge potentialities. So, we should utilize these opportunities. Land sector is facing some problems. Land sector is not digitalized. It is a very challenging sector. We should solve disputes of land sector.
AA: The government is working on how to improve the country's investment environment. What do you think are the investment opportunities in the country?
Rajeeb Samdani: I see avenues of investment opportunities in the country. There are three reasons - young population of the country, expansion of local market and position of Bangladesh as a global player. I think if we can utilize the three things in a coordinated way, it would be helpful to draw huge investments in the country. I am pleased to inform you that Sri Lanka wants Bangladeshi investors to invest in Sri Lanka.
AA: Cabinet approves One Stop Service (OSS) act recently. How will the act be helpful for investors?
Rajeeb samdani: One Stop Service act will help remove all difficulties facing investors before starting their businesses. It will facilitate formation of an authority that will ensure quick services to the investors from a single window. The service will be good for the investors.
AA: At present the government's attention is on bigger projects. As a result, are small and medium projects going to become unimportant? What should be the government's rules for small and medium projects?
Rajeeb Samdani: Bigger projects are going to support small and medium projects and change the entire country. The Padma Bridge and LNG (Liquid Natural Gas)terminal are the two big projects which will support small and medium enterprises. Infrastructural development is extremely important for small and medium projects. I think government's attention is on the right track.
AA: In the present political situation in Bangladesh, sculpture is facing religious debate. What's your opinion about that?
Rajeeb samdani: Sculpture of Lady Justice has been relocated in front of Annex building. But International press criticized Bangladesh about this matter. They told that fundamentalism wins in Bangladesh. No news agency other than New York Times published the news objectively. News must contain objectivity. Without objectivity news is not acceptable. Religious debate is unfortunate for our country.
AA: As a successful entrepreneur what is your expectations from The Asia Age?
Rajeeb Sandani: I am happy to see good newspapers being published. I want to see objectivity in journalism. News should be accurate and clear. It is a very big challenge to survive in this competitive market. As a Bangladeshi newspaper we should emphasize on our art and culture. Only art and culture can present our country to the whole world. So, we need to promote and uphold our art and culture.
AA: Thank you very much.
Rajeeb Samdani: Thank you too.
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