Three film societies boycott federation’s 50th anniversary

Entertainment Report :
Three leading film societies chose
to abstain from the Federation of
Film Societies of Bangladesh (FFSB)’s golden jubilee celebration event,
which was held on Sunday at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Zahir Raihan Film Society and Jahangirnagar Cine Society, two film societies affiliated with Jahangirnagar University, as well as Jagannath University Cinema Society, a member of the FFSB, boycotted the ceremony once it emerged that a leading
corporate group was one of the
sponsors of the event.
In a joint statement signed by
its President Nafis Mahmud and General Secretary Bhabna
Mukherjee, the Jahangirnagar
Cine Society announced its decision to abstain from the ceremony,
stating that the celebration event lost its moral position due to taking sponsorship from such an entity.
They expressed their disappointment and sadness at learning that the corporate group was the sponsor. In
a joint statement, Moutusi Zubaida Rahman and Rifat Khan Anik, the President and General Secretary of
the Zahir Raihan Film Society, made clear their intention to boycott the FFSB’s event, expressing similar
disappointment. In fact, the society named after Bangladesh’s pioneering filmmaker was the first to
boycott on these grounds.
The Jagannath University Film Society stated in its boycott statement that the FFSB could not maintain
its moral stance. It also stated that
it would participate in FFSB events in the future if it could regain
its moral stance. Despite these three associations’ boycotting, FFSB held its celebration event at National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Sunday, which was joined by Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud as the chief guest.
Regarding the decision
of the three film societies over the sponsorship, FFSB General Secretary Belayat Hossain Mamun said that FFSB approached many for sponsorship as it needed funds to organise such a big event and the corporate group stepped forward with sponsorship. The members of FFSB have the right to take their decisions and FFSB welcomes their stances, he said.
In the event, the ‘Best Film Council of Six Decades Award’ was given
to the selected film councils out of hundreds of film councils for their special contribution to the excellence of the country’s film culture, including the Zahir Raihan Film Society.