Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the filmmakers to produce movies that will save the country and society from militancy, terrorism, hatred and confrontation by portraying the images of the bad elements.
“The country and society have to be saved from militancy, terrorism, hatred and confrontation. The bad impacts of these have to be placed before the society and the people have to get constructive messages through cinema,” she said.
The PM said this while addressing the National Film Award-2013 after handing over the awards among film artistes and technicians in 25 categories for their extraordinary performances in the industry.
Ministry of Information organized the function with its Minister Hasanul Huq Inu in the chair at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Ministry AKM Rahmatullah MP was present as special guest while Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed delivered the welcome speech.
The prime minister asked the people related with the film industry to be more sincere to bring the society-reforming incidents in front of the audiences through their works.
Talking about various steps of the government to make the people visit cinema halls, she said that the government has decided to install modern technology in the cinema halls across the country.
“The government has pointed out 300 cinema halls across the country to transform them into digital halls gradually, and a committee has been formed in this connection,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that tax rebate has been given for setting up Cineplexes to spread modern technology across the country and to attract more and more people towards cinema halls.
“We have also withdrawn 35 percent supplementary tax on cinema screening to flourish this industry,” she said.
Terming the present time as the period of free flow of information and information technology, the prime minister asked the film makers and other related people of this industry to prepare themselves to compete with the world through information technology more and more.
“We have to improve our quality more to compete with the world, we have to include information technology in our cinemas. The government will provide all out support in this connection,” she said.
The prime minister said the supreme sacrifice and the greatest achievement of the nation through the great liberation war have to be reflected in the films.
She said that the National Film Awards would encourage creative, talented and patriotic film makers, singers and artists to come forward in making healthy films in the country.
In this regard, she called upon film makers to produce life-oriented movies and cinemas saying producers will have to make films which will flourish human quality and build peace in the society.
Terming films as a very powerful mass medium, the prime minister said art, culture, history and tradition are reflected in films which sharpen sense and thinking, as well as give mental peace through entertainment and recreation.
Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on improving the standard of the cinema halls and film industries side by side with making quality films which will attract audiences towards halls.
In this connection, she also stressed the need for projecting hopes and aspirations, true and beautiful picture of life and immortal story of traditional Bangla in films.
Laying emphasis on making films on social reforms, she said the film-makers will have to give special attention so that their productions could not derail our young generation.
She said her government undertook massive development programmes to modernise the activities of the FDC and many of them have already been implemented to introduce digital technology in making films.
Hasina mentioned that modern technological equipments are being provided to FDC for modernisation of its activities, while most digital technologies have been introduced for making and preservation of films.
Talking about archiving, the prime minister said a modern archive building is being constructed at a cost of Tk75 crore as film archiving plays a very important role in making good and healthy films through preservation, research and exhibition of aristocratic films both home and abroad.
She expressed her firm optimism that Bangladeshi films would be well-established before the world community and thereby Bangladesh and its film industry would advance ahead brightening its image in the international arena.
