Certification board to be in effect, will process films faster: Information Adviser Nahid

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam announced that a certification board will be formed soon under the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023. He shared this information with reporters on Wednesday after meeting with the newly elected members of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board and the Jury Board at the Secretariat.

Additionally, he indicated that the current certification law will be revised through consultations with relevant stakeholders. The 1963 Censorship of Films Act has been repealed, and the Bangladesh Film Certification Act was published in the gazette on November 13 of last year. The current law specifically calls for the establishment of a certification board, rather than a censor board.

Recently, the government issued a notification to restructure the existing censor board. This move has raised concerns among filmmakers and film organisations, who question the decision to restructure the censor board instead of creating the certification board.

In an explanation provided last Tuesday, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry clarified that the Bangladesh Film Certification Act is not yet finalised, which is why it is not currently in effect. The censor board has been temporarily reorganized to maintain its operations for now.

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Nahid Islam reiterated to reporters that a notification to establish the certification board will be issued soon in line with the Bangladesh Film Certification Act. He noted that most provisions of this act are derived from the Censorship of Films Act. Following the creation of the draft, filmmakers and artists expressed several objections, pointing out conflicts within the certification law.

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Nahid Islam emphasised that efforts will be made to amend the certification law through stakeholder discussions, stating, "The 2023 law has many flaws. Preliminary discussions on various issues have already occurred. We will work on amending the law by collaborating with different stakeholders and preparing proposals for that purpose."