Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, 'Our poverty rate has come down from more than 20 percent of the total population to 16 percent now. Our per capita income has surpassed that of India. We are the 35th GDP country in the world and our economy is 31st in Purchasing Power Parity or PPP. Now we are a bigger economy than Malaysia in terms of GDP and in the next few years our country will be the 27th economy.
The minister said this at a discussion meeting organized at Zaheer Raihan Color Lab Auditorium of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation in Tejgaon of the capital on Monday on the occasion of National Film Day 2023 celebration. Earlier, the minister started the day by placing wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at BFDC premises. Soon after this, the minister participated in the rally along with the artists and crews of the film arena and inaugurated the program by flying pigeons and balloons. Film stars Rozina, Anjana, director Kazi Hayat, managing director of BFDC Nuzhat Yasmin, artists-crew and officials attended the programme.
Referring to the film, Dr Hasan Mahmud said, we are improving day by day. Along with material or infrastructural development, people also need spiritual development and films can play a role in spiritual development. All such films should be made so that people can watch them with their families and they can play a role in the formation of the country, society, state, and can open the third eye of the people in addition to entertainment. Then those movies can play a role in building the country, society and state, awakening the state, reaching the dream destination of Bangabandhu along with entertainment.
Looking at the country's film history, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, 'On this day in 1957, the then young leader Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman presented the Film Development Corporation Bill in the Provincial Council. He realized that the creation of all branches of culture is film. Films have songs, dances, films incorporate all disciplines. The father of the nation realized all these things immediately and presented the bill.
Under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, our film industry has turned around again, for this she has taken many steps, the information minister said, a special fund of Tk 1000 crore has been formed for the construction of cinema halls and renovation of old halls under simple conditions. Many have already applied. Many have already opened Cineplexes and closed cinema halls have also reopened. More cinema halls would have been opened if it had not been halted in the due to the COvid-19 epidemic for two years.
Dr Hasan Mahmud said, "Both the amount and number of donations in the film have increased. The new complex is under construction at FDC, there will be four shooting spots and a filmmaker can make a movie and release it. Also, all facilities for film production are being created in 100 acres land taken for film industry.
At that time, the journalists asked the minister about the newly received decision from the Election Commission, Dr Hasan said, 'We have made the country digital. Many citizen services and facilities are now digital. However, the Election Commission is independent. The Election Commission has the jurisdiction to decide on the manner in which elections will be held. I have just come to know through you that they have announced that all 300 constituencies will be elected in the conventional manner. The Election Commission can take any decision independently.
The minister also said, 'Another thing is that the budget requested from the Election Commission for the purchase and repair of EVMs is more than one billion dollars. In today's situation, many people have also questioned whether there is any justification for spending one billion dollars.
Under the chairmanship of BFDC Managing Director Nuzhat Yasmin, Additional Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Ministry Farooq Ahmed as special guest and President of Film Directors Association Kazi Hayat, Director Matin Rahman and Producer Khorshed Alam Khosru spoke in the discussion meeting.
