A tale of Bangladeshi cinema
Helal Uddin Ahmed has his take on a new book
Bangladesher Chalochitra: Sampratik ProshangoDr. Mohammad Jahangir Hossain
Rodela Prokashani In his book, Bangladesher Chalochitra: Sampratik Proshango, the author Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Hossain has urged the local film-makers and artistes to revive the glory of Bangladeshi cinema through united endeavours. In his opinion, the time is now ripe for taking preparations for achieving this goal by the youths. He advises the new generation of local film-makers to prepare themselves thoroughly for entering the world market of cinema and create a niche for Bangladeshi films on the global plane. The book is a reflection of the intellectual applications and toils of the author in exploring the evolution of cinema in Bangladesh, its current shape and status, technical and artistic levels, commercial structure, as well as future possibilities and potentials. The book is quite rich in relevant data, information and theoretical concepts, and depicts an overall picture and future directions of the country's filmdom. Profusely dotted with still photographs of notable films and film-related personalities of the past, this voluminous book of 415 pages contains as many as 20 chapters, in addition to a foreword by the noted film-maker Tanvir Mokammel, introduction by the writer himself, a bibliography and a screenplay. However, the cover, sketched by Akram Ratan, could have been more colourful. The articles cover such diverse themes as the significance of the national and world film day; evolution of film industry in Bangladesh; Bangladeshi cinema in the light of the liberation war; growth, problems and potentials of the local film industry; participation of women in cinema; training on cinema at the film institute and archive; a realistic vision for the film institute; outline for a national film centre; potentials of exhibiting digital films in the cinema halls of Bangladesh; research proposal on the emergence and growth of Bangla cinema; Editorials published in Bangladesh Film Archive Journal; different subjects related to the film archive; Tareq Masud the poet of Bangladeshi cinema and, collection and preservation of films in Bangladesh. Dr. Jahangir has been writing on different perspectives and realities of the film industry in Bangladesh for a long time. Having served as the Director General of Bangladesh Film Archive and Department of Films and Publications for over nine years, there are not many in Bangladesh who has a better grasp of the situation prevailing inside Bangladeshi filmdom. The themes covered in the book include many areas where Jahangir himself has remained actively involved. As a result, the essays are very informative and rich in both theoretical and practical aspects. It also contains detailed elaborations about the early days of the Bangladesh Film Archive and Film Institute after its establishment in the late 1970s and its potential for rejuvenating the film industry in the country. The author is full of optimism about the future of Bangladeshi cinema in the international arena. His optimism emanates from the accomplishments in the glorious history and heritage of Bangladesh, and is based on the forces of youth who in the past had established the right of language for their compatriots and liberated the motherland from the clutches of invaders and occupiers. He opines that there is an artificial division in our filmdom, such as the rural and urban divide, which needs to be done away with immediately. Rural folks and urbanites, the young and the veteran should all unite to overcome the odds facing them. What is needed most is education and training in cinema on a massive scale and the proliferation of research and studies on films throughout the land, the author opines. Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed is a former editor of 'Bangladesh Quarterly'. E-mail: hahmed1960@gmail.com.
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