Filmmakers and cultural activists have voiced grave concern over the fate of Bangladesh film industry as the distributors have finalised deals to import nine commercial Hindi  films by the second week of October next.
They said the unregulated import of Indian movies is opening up the  avenues for cultural aggression by Bollywood, and it will push  Bangladeshi commercial films towards an ‘unequal competition’ with  the much-developed film industry in India.
Secretary general of Bangladesh Motion Pictures’ Distributors  Association (BMPDA) Mian Alauddin told UNB that the distributors will  be able to submit nine Hindi films to the censor board very soon as  the films will arrive by the second week of October.
He said the nine Bollywood hits of both past and contemporary times  are Sholey, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Don, Wanted, Three Idiots, Taare  Jameen Par, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil to Pagal Hai and Kuch  Kuch Hota Hai.
Alauddin said this will be the second batch of movies coming from  India, following the screening of three Bangla Indian movies that hit  the Bangladeshi screens on December 23 last year.
‘The government has also assured us of allowing more imports on a  regular basis in the coming days and we’re hopeful of doing better  business and reviving the cinema halls,’ he added.
The Indian films that have already been screened in local cinema halls are  Jor, Bodla and Sangram.
There were protests when the Commerce Ministry gave permission for  the import. The Information Ministry also fought against the decision in the High  Court (HC). Although the HC gave its verdict in favour of the Information  Ministry, it also gave another order to allow the screening of the  three Indian movies already contracted by Bangladesh cinema hall  owners in response to a writ petition filed by them.
Talking to UNB, Moshiuddin Shaker, director of the prominent movie  Surja Dighal Bari, said, ‘This is undoubtedly a fatal move for the  country’s film industry. From the commercial perspective, it’ll lead  to an unequal competition. On the other hand, launching of Indian  commercial movies on the mega screen will bring forth severe cultural  consequences.”
‘Although an ordinance enacted back in the 70s prohibits the  exhibition of movies that are shot in other languages of the Indian  subcontinent in a bid to protect the local films, the local film  industry has not flourished over the last 40 years,’ he said.
‘I must say I’m not against the import of movies from any country.  Exchange of films with the outside world can enrich the viewership  and inevitably contribute to the development of the local film  industry,’ he said. ‘But commercial exchange should not be granted,  particularly in the case of a strong mass media such as film that can  influence the popular psyche.’
 ‘While we raise question about the import of Indian films, why should the English  language action films being screened here go unchallenged, what  values are the English commercial films adding to our culture?’ he  asked.
Contacted, noted film director Chashi Nazrul Islam said, ‘The  exhibition of Bollywood films in our movie houses will be a major  blow to thousands of professionals in the film industry.’
 ‘The film producers association was earlier assured by Prime Minister  Sheikh Hasina of taking proper steps when they had requested her to  stop the import of Indian films,’ he pointed out.
 ‘It’s quite unimaginable to me the import is going to be resumed even  after the PM’s assurance to stop it,’ he added. Young filmmaker Abu Zaeed Aziz, also an organiser of the platform  titled Bharatio Banijjik Chalachchitra Agrashon (Aggression)  Protirodh Andolon, said, ‘Instead of taking steps to rejuvenate the  film industry, a quarter is out to create a market for the Indian  commercial movies.’