Film industry to be taken to new heights on the basis of national consensus: Information Minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has said that the government wants to repair the state and society in a new way and for that purpose it is considering the creative sector, including film, as an important force for national development.

He said these things while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the National Film Parliament Conference-2026 at the Bangladesh Film Archive Auditorium in Agargaon in the capital on Saturday. 

The programme was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies and Bangladesh Film Archive.

The Information Minister said, “We did not come just to come to power. We said this cannot continue. The state and society must be built anew.”

He also said that the creative industry, including film, is an important 'soft power' for civilisation and it is the responsibility of artistes, producers and creative people to enrich this power.

Swapan said that the government wants to take decisions at every stage of the film industry based on the opinions of the concerned stakeholders and national consensus. He also commented that high-quality creative production is not possible without effective connections with experts in policy-making.

Regarding the reform of the film sector, the Information Minister said that the newly formed Film Certification Board and Jury Board have been welcomed by people from all walks of life in the film industry, which is a great moral force for the government. 

He said that although there were many controversies over the formation of these boards in the past, this time the concerned people have supported the new board without any controversy.

The Information Minister also said that a proposal has been sent to the Finance Ministry to increase the amount of grants for films in the next fiscal year's budget. 

He also said that strict steps will be taken to release the grants quickly and complete the production of films within the stipulated time.

Citing the decrease in the number of cinema halls as one of the biggest crises in the film industry, the Minister said that the government has taken special initiatives to sustain and modernise the single cinema halls.

At the event, industry critic and film scholar Moinuddin Khaled was given a lifetime achievement award. Among others, Dr. Zahirul Islam Kochi, President of the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies, and M. Javed Iqbal were present.