Reza Ghatok’s long battle for his film, ‘Haribol’

Filmmaker Reza Ghatok's project "Haribol" has been stuck in the Bangladesh Film Censor Board for the past two years. According to the director, obstacles started surfacing as soon as he visited the Censor Board to submit the film.

 "We submitted 'Haribol' to the censor board on December 10, 2019. All formal procedures were followed. But then, the long wait began. The censor board took the film and sent in a letter, asking for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC)," he says. "In response to that letter, I informed them in written form that this film has nothing to do with the BFDC. Neither was it shot there nor was the BFDC's resources used in this production. I am an independent filmmaker, and 'Haribol' is an independent film. Thus, asking for a release letter from the BFDC is illogical." He gave this statement in written form to the Censor Board multiple times.

A snippet from Haribol.

 He later visited the BFDC in this regard as the censor board requested him to do so. "BFDC's then managing director Abul Kalam Azad informed me that I have to follow the rules and regulations set by BFDC if I wish to obtain the NOC from them. I have to become a member of Directors' Guild Bangladesh and Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association. Only then, I will be able to obtain the NOC from BFDC," he adds.

Soon, Abul Kalam Azad left BFDC and Nuzhat Yasmin was appointed in his place. "I visited her too and upon hearing the matter she informed me that BFDC has made a rule in its own format after an internal meeting. According to the rule, one has to become a member of Directors' Guild Bangladesh and Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association, and deposit an amount of BDT 1 lakh in the BFDC fund if they wish to receive any NOC from BFDC for their productions," he mentions.

Upon inquiring why Ghatok had to pay the amount, the new managing director further informed him that the funding from directors is used to pay the salaries of BFDC employees.  "We had a lot of debate and later, I just gave up and left and never went to see her again," Ghatok adds. According to him, independent directors, who have not used anything of the BFDC, have no reason for taking any NOC from the BFDC in any way.

In Ghatok's film, "Haribol", a filmmaker from Baleshwar Films plans to make a movie on a Birangona woman. While searching for her, he comes across the Matua community and discovers a story from then. Upon arriving at his destination, he figures out that Shuporna Basu, the Birangona woman he had been looking for, has left Bangladesh and migrated to India. The director could not finish his script without researching about the character. However, he decides to pick up the story from the Matua community and make it into a film. The story of the Birangana woman is also presented in a parallel manner in the film.

It took Ghatok almost 3 years to complete this production – a year of shooting, another year for editing, and one more year in post-production. "When an author tries to publish a book, they do not have to obtain any NOC from Bangla Academy. An artiste does not have to seek any approval to showcase their work. Then why do filmmakers have to submit any NOC to release their film? Do filmmakers have to buy their rights? Why am I being forced to pay to the BFDC?", he laments.

Ghatok has now given up all hope for this film and its release in Bangladesh. "I will not be visiting the Censor Board anymore, as it's useless. As soon as the pandemic subsides, I will look to release "Haribol" in another country. However, Not being able to release "Haribol" in my home country will always sadden me," he concludes.

Translated by Ashley Shoptorshi Samaddar