Film industry leaders laud info minister’s role to revive cinema

The leaders of Sammilita Chalachithra Parishad (SCP) have extended thanks to Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud and the government for playing a key role to revive the country's film industry.

The leaders of the organisation, a combined platform of the stakeholders of the film industry, greeted the minister at a meeting held at the conference room of the ministry at the secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday.

In the beginning, the leaders, included Chalachithra Shilpi Samity president Elias Kanchan, Parichalak Samity president Kazi Hayat, secretary general Shahin Suman, cultural secretary Shahin Kabir Tutul, Chalachithra Grahok Association president Abdul Latif Bacchu, Chalachithra Prodarshak Samity advisor Sudipto Kumar Das, member Younus Rubel, SCP member secretary Shah Alam Kiran, Editors Guild president Abu Musa Debu, actress Apu Biswas and producer Apurba Rana, handed over a bouquet to the information minister.

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker was also present in the function.

Speaking on the occasion, the SCP leaders said eight films were released during the Eid-ul-Fitr and five during the Eid-ul-Adha. All the films have awakened the audiences across the country, they said.

Even many cinema halls were opened which were shut due to lake of audiences, they said, adding it has been possible for pragmatic steps of the government.

They said the government has formed an easy loan fund of Taka 1,000 crore to renovate and construct cinema halls. All these happened following the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and relentless efforts of Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud, they mentioned.

Kazi Hayat called the information minister as a 'friend of films' while Sudipta Das pledged to make continuous efforts to build cinema halls across the country with the easy loan.

Hasan, in his speech, said appreciation for good work helps for working more.

"I informed the premier on Wednesday that the number of cinema halls had dropped below one hundred, but now the number has increased and there are about two hundred cinema halls and Cineplexes. She was very happy to hear it and the Prime Minister is a big friend of the film," he said.

He said many directors, actors and others who are related to the industry are meritorious and many of them have been recognized globally. "Our aim is to take the country's film industry to the global screen arena," he said.

After the meeting, the minister replied the queries of journalists.

About the meeting between the representatives of the European Union (EU) and BNP, Dr Hasan said the EU ambassador has advised the BNP to avoid violence and it is a slap on BNP's ill politics.

He said the ambassador has said that strikes, blockades and arson attacks cannot be carried out and those obstruct democracy. It is a big slap on the ill politics of BNP, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

About BNP's alliance, the minister said it is now a matter of scrutiny how many parties are in the alliance of BNP as sometime they said that the alliance has 36 parties, sometimes they said that they have 52 parties. But now they are holding meetings with 12 parties, he added.

Replying to another query over the Israeli attacks on Palestine, the minister expressed his deep condemn of the attacks.

He said the global human rights organizations are silent on this issue. It is also very regrettable that the countries which give advice on human rights issues to other countries are silent, he added.