The acclaimed Bangladeshi movie “Kathgolap”, which garnered international recognition at various global film festivals, has been officially prohibited from screening in Bangladesh.
A notification released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday declared the film uncertified and barred from public exhibition nationwide. The statement mentioned that the film’s appeal application had been turned down, leading to its uncertified status and subsequent ban in Bangladesh. Any unauthorized display of the film was warned to face confiscation and legal repercussions.
The ministry cited a breach of Section 12(1) of the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023, as the grounds for rejecting the appeal pertaining to “Kathgolap”.
When approached for a response, S M Abdur Rahman, the Vice Chairman of the Film Certification Board, confirmed the prohibition of the film to bdnews24.com’s Glitz section. However, he refrained from elaborating on the specific rationale behind the decision.
“Kathgolap” was produced by Farman Ali under Dreamland Entertainment and helmed by director Sazzad Khan. The screenplay was crafted by Aporna Rubel, showcasing performances by Keya, Rashed Mamun Apu, Meghla Mukta, and Dilruba Doyel.
Expressing his discontent with the ban, director Sazzad Khan expressed to bdnews24.com, “Despite receiving accolades at numerous international events, it’s disheartening that our local audiences are deprived of watching this film. The decision seems unjustified as there is nothing objectionable in the movie that warrants censorship.”
The film “Kathgolap” had been screened and honored at prestigious international film festivals, such as the Shanta Dev International Film Festival in Chennai and the Navy International Film Festival in Malaysia.
Questioning the move, Sazzad raised concerns about the Film Certification Board’s role, emphasizing that its function should be to classify and certify films rather than impose bans. He criticized the continuation of film bans under the new certification system, hinting at lingering issues from the previous censorship regime.
The Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023, replaced the long-standing Censorship of Films Act, 1963, during the previous Awami League government’s term. The Film Censor Board was subsequently restructured on September 15, 2024, following political transitions and public protests.
Despite the implementation of the new certification law, doubts persist regarding the rationale behind film bans, hinting at a need to reassess the prevailing practices reminiscent of the former censor board protocols.