The
Bangladesh
film industry is angry following the government's decision to import and screen
Indian films after lifting a ban imposed in 1965.
"Bollywood
films will deliver a death blow to Dhallywood (Dhaka-based film
industry)," said actor Miju Ahmed, who is heading an action committee that
plans to approach the government to stop this move.
While
the members of Bangladesh 's
ailing film industry are agitated, the cinema owners have been demanding
imports after half of the 2,000 theatres closed down countrywide in recent
years.
The
Bangladesh government
considered resuming film trade with India
after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January earlier this year.
The
Ministry of Information has already made substantial progress in lifting the
ban. It has consulted different ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce
that looks after issues related to imports.
A
senior official from the Commerce Ministry told New Age newspaper that they
have given their inputs on the basis of the latest import policy that allows
import of films in English and other languages with the condition that there
should be Bangla and English sub-titles.
The
national import policy 2009-2012 also stipulates that screening of imported
films should be approved by the censor board.
Actor
Masud Parvez Rubel, also a leader of the action committee, said they would
organise a human chain in front of the state-run Film Development Corporation
to protest the government's decision.
Members
of the cinema hall owners' association, however, said they would not support it
as running a theatre has became impossible because of losses due to lack of
quality movies and poor footfalls.
The
number of Dhaka-based cinema halls has gone down drastically in recent years
compared to its peak time in 1980s and 1990s.
Earlier,
the film industry used to produce over 200 movies annually. But now the
investment in movies business has come down to a paltry Tk.500 million ($7.2
million) -- as a result, the number of films made has come down to 25 in recent
years.
Kazi
Firoz Rashid, president of the cinema hall owners' association, told the
newspaper that they had long been demanding import of films from India , Pakistan ,
Nepal and Iran .
Source:
bollywooddotcom
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