Censor Board can question films showing half-truths

Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said that the Bangladesh Film Censor Board can question if a film is made based on true events but doesn’t show the complete truth.

The minister said this at the Secretariat replying to journalists when asked about the necessity of a censor board in Bangladesh in light of banning director Mostafa Sarwar Farooki’s film ‘Shonibar Bikel’, loosely based on the Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery attack.

“India has the largest film industry and it has censor boards for each of its states. Censor board is a must and those who question its necessity their understanding of it itself is questionable,” added Hasan.

“Bangladesh has a censor board since the birth of the film industry in Bangladesh and it will remain so,” he said.

“We keep it under surveillance so that the censor board doesn’t take any unnecessary steps. Questions that have been raised regarding censor board are being inspected,” Hasan added.

About the film grant, he said, “The grant is not only to provide for art films ignoring the mainstream ones.

Grants are for all types of movies and it should be admitted that of all genres, mainstreams are mainly the commercial films.”

He said cases have been filed against all those who did not produce the films they received grants for.

“At first notices were served, then when non-complying, cases were filed. After that many who failed have refunded money while some of them are now making the films,” he said.