Entertainment Desk
The first ever BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Scrotal Technical and Economic Cooperation) film festival kicked off yesterday in Dhaka. The five-day film festival was organized by the Rainbow Film Society in association with the BIMSTEC at its secretariat office in Gulshan to mark its 20th founding anniversary.
Secretary General Sumith Nakandala said at a press briefing held earlier, “Cinema is a very powerful medium for connecting people across boundaries.” Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu inaugurated the program as chief guest, while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam was present as a special guest there.
A total of 16 films, four each from Bangladesh and India, two each from Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand and one each from Sri Lanka and Bhutan, will be screened at the BIMSTEC Secretariat at Gulshan 2. Three films will be screened every day. Filmmaker Morshedul Islam’s war movie Anil Bagchir Ekdin was the first movie to have been screened in the film festival at 2pm on Friday.
The film has been produced based on a famous novel by late celebrated writer Humayun Ahmed. Centering the story of the Liberation War of Bangladesh, noted film director Morshedul Islam has produced the film. Aref Syed played the role of Anil Bagchi, while Jyotika Jyoti shared the screen as Anil’s sister in the film.
Other important casts of the film include Gazi Rakayet, Farhana Mithu, Shahidul Alam Sachchu, AM Mohsin, Khalilur Rahman Quaderi and Misha Shawdagar, among others.The movie portrays how a Muslim man risks his life to save a Hindu youth from being taken away and killed by Pakistani military.
Besides Anil Bagchir Ekdin, Kushuthara (Pattern of Love)-a Bhutanese film directed by Karma Deki was screened at 4pm and Myanmar film By Coincidence was screened at 6pm.
