Dhaka, June 9 (BDNews24): In response to representations from the local film industry, Bangladesh has banned production of films with foreign collaboration until the formulation of new guidelines. The suspension will primarily affect co-productions with the Bengali film industry based in Kolkata in India.
The decision was made at a meeting held between the Ministry of Information and film industry representatives on Sunday.
The meeting proposed revising the existing guidelines over ‘joint production for the sake of the domestic film industry.’
All joint productions will be at a halt until the fresh and up-to-date guidelines are documented.
The Bangladesh Film Development Corporation or BFDC will purchase 50 HD projectors and use them in the cinema halls, as per decisions taken during the meeting.
The ministry made the decisions in light of a series of proposals to develop and expand Bangladesh’s film industry that actor Faruq and Chalachitra Shilpi Samity President Misha Saudagar forwarded.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu sat in the meeting with representatives of the Bangladesh film industry including directors Delwar Jahan Jhontu, Khorshed Alam Khosru, Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar, Badiul Alam Khokon and actors Riyaz and Zayed Khan.
BFDC Managing Director Tapan Kumar Ghosh, Joint Secretary Yusub Ali Molla, Bangladesh Film Censor Board Vice-Chairman Zakir Hossain, Deputy Secretary Shahin Ara Begum and Bangladesh Television Director General SM Haroon-or-Rashid were also present.
Two out of the three movies released on the eve of Eid-Ul-Fitr this year were Indo-Bangla joint productions – ‘Boss 2’ and ‘Nabab’ which created resentment among local artistes and workers of the industry.
(The featured picture at the top shows a poster of the Indo-Bangladesh co-production “Nabab” starring Shakib Khan and Subhashree)
