Chinmay Prasun Biswas: Culture is a widely used term among highly educated, even less educated people. This word is frequently used at different situations and occasions. Sometimes in a negative connotation it is said that he/she is an uncultured person but what is culture? It is very difficult to define culture in a few words. Roughly speaking, culture includes a large and diverse set of mostly intangible features of social and community life. According to sociologists, culture consists of the values, beliefs, systems of language, communication and practices that people share commonly in their behavioural pattern and that can be used to define them as a collective entity.
Culture is an important concept of sociology because it plays a crucial role in our social and individual life. It is important for shaping social relationship, maintaining and continuing social order, determining our social sense and place in society. Material objects are also included in culture. It includes components consisting of knowledge, common sense, assumption and expectations. It is also the rules, norms, laws and morals that govern society. Simplicity is an integral part of culture. Jajabar (Binoy Mukherjee), in his famous book Dristipat, has written –The identity of culture lies in simplicity. In pomp, there is arrogance. That arrogance is sometimes of knowledge, sometimes of money, sometimes of influence.
Culture also includes the collective practices we participate in, such as religious ceremonies, celebration of secular holidays (e.g. 21st February, independence day etc.) and secular festivals (viz. 1st Baisakh). It is important for shaping our day-to-day activities, occasions like village fair and games, both traditional (e.g. boat race, commonly known as nauka baich, horse- race and bull-race, cock-fight in rural areas, etc.) and modern.
Culture is both material and non-material. Material culture is composed of those things that human beings produce and use. It includes a wide variety of things, like food to furniture, dress to diet, film, music, literature, art and many others. Both material and non-material culture influence our life, thoughts and activities.
Culture is important in maintaining stability of society based on collective agreement to rules and norms that allow us to cooperate, function in society and live together in peace and harmony. The values, beliefs, morals, communication and practices that we share in common provide us with a sense of purpose and a valuable collective identity. When people come together to participate in rituals, they reaffirm their common culture and strengthen the social ties among them.
In newspaper reporting some activities are mentioned as culture. For example, corruption and bribery culture in offices, culture of impunity etc. However, these are not actually culture. In fact, these are well-known and age-old malpractice. Recently, mob culture has been added to the list.
Karl Marx has analysed culture from the poet f view of class-discrimination. Wealthy people utilise culture to rule over the poor. Many sociologists differ this view but both the ideas are partially justified. Culture can be a force for oppression and domination but it can also be a force for creativity, resistance and cooperation. It is also a deeply important aspect of social life and social organisation. Without it, we would not have social relationship. Culture is abstract and invisible but it has visible and material exposures in many ways.
On the other hand, agriculture is totally a visible matter, fully material. There is nothing non-material in it. It primarily means the ways and system of cultivating land and growing crops which are transformed into food items for human beings and other domestic animals. Etymologically, the word agriculture has been derived from Latin ager meaning field or soil and cultura meaning cultivation. When combined, Latin word agricultura means tilling land or field. So, agriculture can be primarily defined as cultivation of land and production of crops. It is the science, art or practice of cultivating soil, producing crops and preparing and marketing the products. In broad sense agriculture includes everything of growing crops that provide food. But away from growing crops agriculture includes a wide range of activities like fishery, poultry farming, cattle farming and dairy, horticulture, floriculture, arboriculture (science of growing and managing trees), livestock farming, viniculture (cultivation of grapes), gardening (flower and fruit) etc. These are different particular forms of agriculture. These sectors play very important role in local and national economy, individual and social life.
Food is the first of five basic needs of human beings and almost all food items are derived from agriculture. Wheat and rice, the two staple foods worldwide, are products of agriculture. Huge variety of food items are produced from these two.
Culture has no direct market value. However, some people earn by running cultural institutes or academies on commercial basis. Mainly kids and teen-agers are taught dance, song and playing different types of musical instruments there. On the other hand, all agriculture products are marketable. It provides livelihood for a huge number of people. Most of the people of Bangladesh are dependent on agricultural activities directly and indirectly. Historically, agriculture has been the base of economy of Bangladesh. Although its contribution to GDP has decreased to 11.5% in the fiscal year 2021-2022, it is a vital sector which forms the backbone of our national economy. According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, agriculture is one of the largest producing sectors of economy. 43% agricultural employees are involved in total labour force. More than 70% of Bangladesh population and 77% of its workforce lives in rural areas. Nearly half of all of Bangladeshi workers and 2/3rds in rural areas are directly engaged in agriculture. Around 87% of rural households rely on agriculture for at least part of their income. Annual agricultural output is 70 million metric tons in Bangladesh.
Most of the people of Bangladesh are dependent on agricultural activities directly and indirectly. Around 70,000 poultry farms are carrying on business commercially. Around 60 lakhs people are engaged in this sector. As reported by Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in 2024, around two crores of people are connected with fish farming and trading.
Bangladesh is mainly an agricultural country. Touch of agriculture in culture of Bangladesh is prominent. Many agriculture-based festivals have enriched the culture of Bangladesh.
The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes
