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An Ethnic Cultural Academy in Haluaghat upazila, Mymensingh, intended to be a vibrant hub for minority communities, has been largely non-operational since its 2019 inauguration. The facility, built at a cost of Tk 10.81 crore, was established to serve members of the Garo, Hajong, Koch, Barman, Dalu, Hodi, Banai, and Rajbangshi communities in the region.

Despite the construction's completion and handover to the Shilpakala Academy in 2019, the academy struggles with critical shortages of manpower and basic utilities. Essential administrative approvals for staffing remain pending, hindering the facility's full operationalization. The academy boasts a 300-seat auditorium, a 500-seat open-air stage, and a training center, but prolonged inactivity and inadequate maintenance have led to parts of the facility deteriorating. Electricity and water supplies are yet to be ensured.

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The delay has slowed key activities, including the appointment of staff.

Currently, only the academy's director has been appointed. The recruitment of other necessary staff is stalled, and a proposed 10-member executive body, which would be headed by the deputy commissioner of Mymensingh, awaits ministry approval. Proloy Snal, the academy's director, acknowledged that the delay in approving the executive body has significantly slowed key activities, including staff appointments. Games Jornesh Chiran, former secretary of the Haluaghat branch of the Tribal Welfare Association, expressed concern that the academy's purpose, to provide a platform for future generations to learn about the culture of plainland ethnic communities, remains unfulfilled, with no clear timeline for regular activities to begin.

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The academy was intended to provide a platform for future generations to learn about the culture of plainland ethnic communities, but it remained uncertain when its regular activities would begin.