'Panku Jamai' will play in India in exchange of 'Pathaan'

Shah Rukh Khan fans in Bangladesh have eagerly been waiting for the arrival of "Pathaan" in local cinema halls. At the same time, local artistes have continued to protest the import of the Bollywood blockbuster. However, the question of which film would be exported in exchange of "Pathaan" was largely left unanswered.

After receiving clearance from the censor board, "Pathaan" is finally set to be screened from May 12. 

As per the SAFTA agreement, "Pathaan"—which has been imported by Action Cut Entertainment—has been traded for the film "Panku Jamai", which will now be exported to India.

The film which stars Shakib Khan and Apu Biswas has been directed by Abdul Mannan. "Panku Jamai" was originally released on June 16, 2018.

In April, the government granted permission for the import of Hindi films, with a few conditions in place. These conditions would need to be maintained by films shot in languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent, from South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) signatory countries—India, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The circular also mentioned that ten films could be imported and an equal number of local films would have to be exported in the first year of the agreement. The imported films would also require clearance from the Bangladesh Film Censor Board, prior to release in local theatres.