Employees of the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) are facing financial hardship after not receiving their salaries for the past three months, December 2023 - February 2024.
According to the BFDC Kala-Kushali o Karmachari League president Tahamidur Rahman Milon, “The employees of the corporation have not received their due salaries of three months.”
This situation has caused significant difficulties for the 211 affected officials and employees, many of whom rely solely on their BFDC income to cover basic necessities like rent and food.
Nazrul Islam Shamim, senior vice-president of the union, echoed these concerns, stating, “It is very difficult to pass a day without a salary. We can do nothing but urge the authorities concerned to take some effective steps to solve the issue.”
The issue seems to be rooted in a long-standing financial struggle for the BFDC. Milon pointed out that the corporation has been grappling with irregular salary payments since 2012, and the government has had to provide financial aid on multiple occasions.
Abdur Rahim, a set section painter said, “Around 50 to 60 retired employees did not receive their provident fund and gratuity.”
Himadri Barua, the corporation's public relations officer, confirmed the salary delays but offered some explanation.
"The salaries for the month of November 2023 were paid in the past week," he said. Barua also revealed a significant disparity between the BFDC's monthly expenditure around Tk 1.1 crore and its income around Tk 53 lakh last month.
He attributed this gap to a decline in filmmakers seeking the BFDC's logistical support for film production. Additionally, construction work at the BFDC Complex has rendered three shooting floors unusable, further limiting income generation.
In an attempt to address the situation, Barua said, “We applied for block allocation to overcome the situation.”
Nuzhat Yasmin, the BFDC managing director, has reportedly reached out to the information and broadcasting ministry for financial assistance to resolve the salary issue as quickly as possible.
The employees, however, are also demanding a more permanent solution.
