The "National Film Conference 2025" was organized at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of Dhaka University on Wednesday, January 29, with the aim of reforming and developing the film industry in Bangladesh.
Organized by the Bangladesh Film Students' Association, the conference was attended by more than 500 film students, teachers, producers, journalists, film professionals, actors and all parties involved in the film industry.
While the organization's president Sadman Shihir voiced the demand for a separate ministry for films within the next 3 months, all parties in the film industry agreed on it at the conference. Sihir highlighted how a separate ministry would minimize administrative complexities of coordinating with different ministries, which plagues the industry now.
In addition to the formation of the Film Ministry, the concerned demanded the implementation of the proposed reforms and future action plans through the formation of a "Film Commission".
A total of 18 points were outlined in a booklet circulated by the organizers. Among the demands stated there were-
- Reform of the Bangladesh Film Certification Act
- Changes in the structure of the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation
- Digital distribution of cinema, e-ticket server and box office
- Eslablishing a National Film Center
- Sharing film ticket money with stakeholders
- Expansion of film education
- Compleition of Gazipur Film City
- Streamlining film import-export
- Formation of an anti-piracy cell
- Government investment in films
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Advisor to the Ministry of Culture, was present as a special guest in today's conference.
Chief guest Advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Md. Nahid Islam and Advisor to the interim government, Mahfuz Alam, who was the special guest, could not attend the event. However, the demands raised at the conference have been conveyed to the advisor.
After showing the official promo video, the proposed demands and implementation outlines were presented by Al Amin Rakib Tonoy, convener of the search committee of the Ministry of Information and former president of the Bangladesh Film Students Association.
Earlier, the organization's general secretary, Jarin Tasnim Roja, delivered a welcome speech. Then, a minute's silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of the July Revolution.
Special guest, Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said, "Although I am an advisor by chance, I am actually a filmmaker. The Ministry of Culture has still failed to reform and prioritize the film industry. When I was just a filmmaker, I also used to blame the government; but after joining the government, I realized that I always have to face various obstacles. Even after becoming an advisor, I have no idea how many film professionals there are in our country. A blueprint should be prepared by the stakeholders, under whose supervision a workshop will be organized; which will be the first step in our film reform. Therefore, my request to the Bangladesh Film Association, you should come out on the streets, force us to be active in film reform.”
