Former cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has criticized what he calls 'selective inclusion' and biased historical narratives in Bangladesh’s cultural sphere. In a verified Facebook post, he said the country’s arts, literature, and cinema have long been shaped around a specific political narrative, leaving many significant political and historical events underrepresented. He questioned why major figures and episodes such as General Osmani’s absence at the surrender ceremony, Maulana Bhashani’s political role, or the actions of the Rakkhi Bahini have not been adequately portrayed in mainstream creative works.

Farooki argued that issues like enforced disappearances, political violence, and oppression have not inspired strong fictional works in Bangladesh, unlike in Latin America. He attributed this to a cultural framing that deems certain topics as unacceptable or unprogressive, discouraging artists through social labeling and funding barriers. He also claimed that a division between 'high' and 'low' culture has portrayed one political group as progressive and others as regressive, allowing 'fascism' to persist socially.

Farooki described the political changes of 2024 as the beginning of a cultural shift and said he left a detailed 'note to successor' outlining recommendations for reforming the cultural ecosystem.