Uttara Welfare Association’s sudden ban on shooting houses sparks outrage among artistes
The Uttara Sector-4 Welfare Association has sent a letter to house owners, requesting a halt to shooting activities. The letter, signed by the president and general secretary of the association on July 20, states that shooting activities are causing public gatherings on the roads, disrupting traffic flow, and disturbing the residents' normal way of life. The letter urges house owners not to rent their properties for shooting purposes and emphasises that such commercial activities are against the regulations in residential areas. It calls for house owners to take a responsible role in preserving the sector's environment and reputation.
To inquire about the letter, Prothom Alo contacted the Uttara Sector-4 Welfare Association. Golam Rabbani, the association's administrative officer, confirmed the issuance of the letter to Prothom Alo.
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There are three shooting houses in Uttara Sector-4: Laboni-4, Laboni-5, and Aponghar-2. Prothom Alo spoke with Aslam Hossain, the owner of Laboni Shooting House. When asked about the letter, the homeowner broke down in tears. He said, "I have been running this business in the area for 25 years. No one has ever filed a complaint. But now we are being asked to stop shooting. We have informed the Directors' Guild about the matter, and I hope we will have everyone's support."
Actor and President of the Directors' Guild, Shahiduzzaman Selim, believes that issuing a directive to stop shooting activities through a sudden letter is not acceptable in any way.
He said, "Many serials are shot in these houses, with ongoing continuity. You can't just ask to stop abruptly; they could have issued a notice allowing some time. We, the Directors' Guild, have protested this and will be sending a formal letter today. We have assured the house owners that we stand by them."
This incident has sparked outrage on social media among drama directors, actors, and other stars from the entertainment industry. Director Mahmud Didar wrote, "They have asked to shut down the shooting houses. For many years, shootings have been taking place in Uttara! There were never any complaints. Now, suddenly, it's unacceptable! It disturbs their sleep. I believe the long-standing shooting culture of this area will not survive. This is just a sign! Be it Uttara or Pubail — tough times are ahead!"
Topu Khan wrote, "A direct ban is even more unacceptable. This is nothing short of an obstacle to the development of our arts and culture. Uttara's Laboni-4 shooting households cherished memories for many of us. Aslam Bhai, the owner of this house, is one of the kindest and most humble people I have ever met. The Uttara sector authorities have requested not to conduct shootings there (perhaps they have said this to many others as well). I urge the relevant organisations to take immediate action. If there has been any mistake or misunderstanding, it can be resolved through discussion. But I do not see a direct ban in a positive light."
Former General Secretary of the Actors' Association and actor Raonak Hasan wrote, "A notice has been issued from the Uttara Sector-4 Welfare Association to stop shooting activities. Various types of offices operate in residential areas. There are hundreds of schools and multiple types of businesses. But only shooting seems to be a problem! Similar attempts have been made in the past. Those issues were resolved through specific guidelines jointly formulated by the relevant organisations, the local Member of Parliament, the City Corporation, and the police administration. I hope the same will happen this time as well. I call upon all concerned parties to pay attention to this matter."
Meanwhile, the Director's Guild Bangladesh has already released a statement expressing deep grief and concern over the matter.
According to the press release issued by the Guild, "It has come to our attention through the Shooting House Association that the Uttara Kalyan Samiti, Sector 4, has taken an initiative to shut down several shooting houses located in Sector 4 of Uttara. This move is extremely alarming. For a long time, regular shootings have been taking place in this area, with many ongoing productions. These activities provide livelihoods to a large number of individuals."
The statement continued, "A sudden decision to shut down these shooting houses is entirely unacceptable. Such a step puts at risk not only the continuity of ongoing productions but also the cultural ecosystem and the livelihoods tied to it."
In light of the above, the Director's Guild Bangladesh has strongly condemned and protested this decision. The Guild is urging the concerned authorities to immediately revoke the decision in order to uphold healthy cultural practices and ensure the continuity of ongoing drama productions.
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