Cultural advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooki has dismissed the police’s statement—that the Bangla Academy should be allowed to review books before printing—as a personal opinion rather than an official government stance. He called the remark “ridiculous” and reiterated that the government believes in freedom of expression, even if he himself is criticized. Farooki mentioned that in the past government, there were complications in the award nomination process due to a fellow awardee being nominated. During the inauguration ceremony of the 36th National Poetry Festival, he announced that a reform committee would be formed to investigate corruption in the Bangla Academy and restructure it.