The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Wednesday that controversial members of the previous members of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board committee would be removed as part of a national advisory committee's recommendations. A new committee will be formed after this reshuffle, and only then will film previews resume.

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, several government institutions, including the censor board, are undergoing significant changes under the interim administration. The former Bangladesh Film Censor Board, which issued its last certificate on July 28 for Tanvir Hasan's "Madhyobitto", has since halted all Bengali film screenings. 

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is expected to issue directives for the board's restructuring within the next week, according to a source at the censor board.

In a recent meeting with ministry officials, the interim government's adviser for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, Mohammad Nahid Islam, hinted at these changes emphasising the need to revamp the board and the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) for the betterment of the film industry.

Kazi Hayat, a member of the previous censor board, expressed uncertainty about the timing of the restructuring. He noted that no films had been reviewed since "Madhyobitto" and that he hadn't been formally notified of any changes. However, he acknowledged that a restructuring seemed inevitable, given the broader shifts in government.

The vice chairman of the censor board, Abdul Jalil, confirmed that the interim government's adviser and secretary had discussed the necessity of reconfiguring the board and the FDC to advance the film industry. He mentioned that a directive for the restructuring would come from these discussions, though the progress remained unclear.

Since the interim government took over, the censor board has not reviewed any new films. The only pending submission is Biplob Haider's "Bhoyal", which was filed on August 1.

Another board member, Khorshed Alam, mentioned that the board would not resume film screenings until the new committee was in place. He speculated that several young, popular directors might be included in the new lineup, adding a fresh perspective to the board.

Read more

A closer look at Bangladesh’s film censorship laws