BLACKOUT: A Vigourous-Bold-Experimental Story Without A Tale

A one-day-fine-arts-student and poet Tokon Thaakoor starts his journey in the premises of cinematography with Blackout. Not strictly a biography, though, it is a part of the same. He, here, himself apportioned into two, as does a bacterium; the two main protagonists Rafi and Madol are an artist and a poet respectively. In many way, they are identical with Thakoor- above thirty, unmarried, live on a garret (an attic), smitten with reverie-love-lust... all carnal desires. The way the poet (in the Blackout) is overwhelmed of his childhood, it seems, Thakoor is visualizing his autobiography. Though Blackout doesn’t show us the every details of an autobiography, it is certainly a documentation of a part of contemporary youth lifestyle and practice of dreamy obsession, the worse for intoxicating drug or liquor, unmet desire for sex. Specially, it is the documentation of artistry-love-lust of those fresh-blood youths, within a-some hundred yards between Dhaka Fine Arts Institute and Aziz Super Market, by whom the contemporary Dhaka-based art-culture-literature is being practiced and exercised. Rather the director didn’t follow the usual narrative of conventional documentary or feature-film; he went through the complex experimental course of metaphor-metaphysics in addition to animation. Probably, it is the Blackout presents before us with large-scale experimental relish ever in our country.

The prime criterion of this video fiction is its statelessness; self-perception dominates here as does in experimental short story. A used-to-viewer of simple narrative cinematography doesn’t feel ease here. This is rather an expression of feelings of this transition period youth- as a poetry, or as an artwork, partly revealed, the rest remains unrevealed. Blackout will definitely touch those young afflicted with creativity-love-lust-liquor-agony; also those non-young interested to realize the present-day youth. Others may refuse to accept Blackout, due partly to its unconventional complex type of presentation, and partly to its immoral (!) unaccustomed (!) commentary. Fortunately, it was not captured in celluloid; in that case, the scythe of the censor-board would be sharper. Here, in Blackout, an artist sketches a mature penis and calls it missile; masturbation contexts are there; character here is both homo- and hetero-sexual. Films released from FDC shows raw nudity, unreliably though; even then, those easily pass the censor-board. Nevertheless, undoubtedly, Blackout would be caught by the board.

Brick Lane: A Tale of Transformation of an Immigrant Woman

One can easily discover the thematic similarities between the film Brick Lane (2007) by British director Sarah Gavron and Paroma (1984) by the Indian director Aparna Sen. After serving her husband and caring for her children for several years, an ordinary housewife suddenly discovers that she has passed a large part of her life meaninglessly, not taking car of her own need. Of course, these feelings appear within herself after contact with a young man and she discovers how she has been deprived of the charms of life, how her mind and body have been dispossessed of heavenly happiness on Earth. Gradually, the late-thirties woman turns into a lover from a conventional housewife and feels like a young woman who has fallen in love for the first time. And most importantly, she becomes self-determined and self-asserting.

It is the first feature film by the documentary and short filmmaker Sarah Gavron. Though the title of the film is Brick Lane, adapted from the best selling novel of Monica Ali of the same title, you will not find the presence of Brick Lane or the Bangla Town, London much in the film. The storyline progresses as an indoor family drama.

Fahmidul Haq Talks on Mainstream Bangla Cinema in The Daily Star Weekend Magazine

Bangla Cinema: An Industry in Decay
By Kajalie Shehreen Islam
30 May, 2008

The theme and storyline of Bangla cinema has taken several shifts since the 1970s. Fahmidul Haq, an assistant professor at the department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, says this shift ranges from social storytelling to high tone violence.
“The major genre of films made in the 1970s,” says Haq, “was social, particularly rural social life such as Lathial and Sujon Sokhi (1975) and Sareng Bou (1979). In the 1980s, the major genres were costume-fantasy, for example, Nagin (1980), Banjaran (1983) and Beder Meye Josna (1989) and action (Jony, 1983; Nasib, 1984). In the 1990s we saw two more genres: teen romance (Chandni, 1991; Keyamat Theke Keyamat, 1993) and violence (Danga, 1992; Ammajan, 1999). The present decade,” says Haq, “is wholly dominated by violent films with pornographic insertion (out of text hard core 'cut pieces' and within text soft pornography).”
The song and dance routine, according to Haq, who has co-authored the recently published book Bangladesher Chalochchitro Shilpo: Sangkote Janosangskriti (The Film Industry in Bangladesh: Popular Culture in Crisis) along with Dr. Gitiara Nasreen, has not changed over the years but the nature of visualisation has. “Once, songs in Bangla films were used as a romantic expression of the protagonists and became very popular among the audience. But in recent times, they have been used as spectacles of sexually explicit materials with appealing dance.” After the drive of the special task force led by RAB in late 2007, however, Haq says that the making of so-called vulgar films (which are actually violent films with vulgar songs) has stopped. With people expressing their satisfaction about the retrieved cine environment, some directors have taken up making social films again which are drawing an audience.
Technology and cinematic techniques in Bangla cinema have also deteriorated. With the decline of the industry since the 1980s, the FDC studios and cinema halls have not been renovated or updated with the latest technologies, rather, their condition has worsened. “Very recently, a digital lab has been incorporated in the FDC and a few theatres in the capital have introduced DTS technology,” says Haq, “but we are yet to see the effects of new technology established in FDC.”
According to Haq, there have been no auteurs in recent years as there were in the1960s and 1970s such as Zahir Raihan, Alamgir Kabir, Salauddin, Subhash Dutt and Amjad Hossain, and so more decline in terms of cinematic technique and representation.
The stream of independent or alternative films, however, has improved over the years and achieved international recognition. “But these films are not viewed by the broader audience of the country,” says Haq. “The target audience of these films are international film festivals and the advanced and literate audiences of Dhaka. Some of the films produced by TV channels are enchained in TV premieres.” The shutting down of prominent theatres indicates the decline of the cine business, says Haq.
Just the phrase “Bangla cinema” evokes images of brutal violence and vulgarity, but how big a problem are they really? According to Fahmidul Haq, neither violence nor vulgarity are problems if films are well-made and refers to many critically acclaimed Hollywood and Bollywood films with violent and sexual content. In Bangladesh, however, the problem is that such films have no grading or ratings.
“During our research, we found that 22.36% of the audience were adolescents with no entertainment options other than going to the movies. This is where the problem lies,” Haq points out. Other than that, he believes that the worries of middle class civil society around only the vulgarity of Bangla cinema is more an expression of religion-driven morality and “sympathy from a better class” towards the lower class “rickshawala” audience. The main problem, he thinks, lies elsewhere, in the total decline of cinema in terms of storyline, cinematic technique and lack of originality.
Most mainstream filmmakers today give the audience as an excuse for their work, claiming to be giving viewers what they want. This is a largely false claim, however, seeing as that the audience, especially those living in peripheral towns who do not even have access to television, have little choice and so go for whatever is offered, becoming a sort of captive audience of such films. While working on their book, Dr. Gitiara Nasreen and Fahmidul Haq conducted an audience survey in which they found that a large part of the audience (37%) wanted to watch social films or films that could be enjoyed with the family. Some of them (24%) wanted films with good stories. Though women comprised a large part of the audience of Bangla cinema in the past, today, they hardly ever go to theatres due to the content of the films themselves as well as the environment of the cinema halls.
The cost of making a film ranges from 50 and 80 lakh takas, depending on the scale and grandeur of the song-and-dance routines. Though the exact profit margins for these films are unknown, according to the FDC website, the organisation paid Tk. 6 lakh 38 thousand in revenues to the government in 2004-2005.
As with everything, the government has a major role to play in the development of the film industry in Bangladesh and this includes infra-structural development. “The government never had a plan to nurture the popular media,” claims Fahmidul Haq. “Its role should not be only to collect taxes or even just prevent vulgarity. It has to have a plan and policy to improve the overall situation of the sector.” A film can overcome language barriers and play a vital role in society through entertainment and teaching, says Haq. “The government must consider cinema an important aspect of popular culture and medium of entertainment.”
Watching films on a big screen should be a completely different experience from watching them at home, believes Haq, who is currently doing his doctorate abroad in Cinema Studies. He suggests a number of ways in which this can be done -- by establishing cineplexes in major towns and introducing the latest cine technologies, by supporting filmmakers through regular grants, producing human resources through the establishment of a film institute, film centres and a film archive.
Before, a good story was enough for the success of a film, but now, with so many entertainment options, the audience want more. "You have to project a colourful movie in a cool theatre with good décor, widescreen and Dolby digital facilities," says Haq. "You have to provide the audience with visual pleasure, recreating the aura of film watching, making the audience think it's different, larger than life. You have to alter TV viewers to movie goers, and that is a big challenge.”
Haq also believes that in this day and age, with the rising popularity and availability of media content on the internet, censorship is a dying concept and should be liberalised. “The government has to respect the freedom of expression of the creator. Censorship means controlling creativity. Since the 1960s, countries have been liberalising censorship. The questions of sex, violence, religion or morality can be easily met by a grading system.” Many countries have boards but to certify or register films, not to censor them, and are even known as film certification boards, says Haq.
“In our country, the Film Censor Board never worked as it should have,” says Haq. “It was used to pass bad ones and act as an obstacle for good films. The corruption of some boards was an open secret. The Censor Board was a total failure in controlling so-called vulgarity, which is considered to be the board's prime duty.”
An improvement in the quality of films accompanied by the latest technology and a good environment in theatres can bring people back to cinema halls. “You have to make filmmaking difficult (in a positive sense) for directors and producers which requires extensive preparation,” says Fahmidul Haq. Instead of making several low-budget films, make fewer but better films with the same budget, export them. “There is a Bangladeshi audience in many parts of the world, you just have to explore the world market and provide quality films for them.”

Book Review> Film Industry of Bangladesh: Popular Culture in Crisis

Published On: 2008-05-03
Star Books Review
The rise and steady decline of our cinema
Nazma Yeasmeen Haq recommends a scholarly work on movies to readers

Although not unprecedented, yet Bangladesher Cholochitro Shilpo assuredly is rather unique in the sense of its being the product of a research work carried out systematically and that in turn attains academic standard as a thesis. The book raises a number of questions, diagnoses the malaise that has been eating into the vitals of our film industry, in particular since the 1980s. Once the diagnosis is made correctly, etiology is determined and thus very confidently the writers come up with a prescription to be administered to cure the ills of the disease prevalent in the films that are there.

The factors that are inextricably related to the making of a film that ideally ought to cater to the taste of a wide spectrum of viewers, thus qualifying it to be of a popular genre, have very ably been dealt with by the authors. One can accomplish this only when one has a full grasp of the subject one is involved with. Only those with an intention of delivering things beneficial to society can be so succinct and painstaking in their endeavour, as we see the authors progress in their work. Trying to mend or fill a cavernous hole in our filmdom that has apparently come to exist demands much tenacity on the part of its doers. As the writers themselves have stated, coming back to trends that are healthy in essence might, although they can be considered as an achievement, nevertheless cause a feeling of a sense of complacency about it that must not be there in the right frame of one's mind. That is because it would only mean moving to zero from a minus from where it is a very long way to reach the positive. This assertion tells us, the readers, about the abyss we are in in terms of having access to one of the vital social outlets of recreation in our lives.

The authors have been much methodical in tracing the history of film making in this part of our region through a synoptic treatment of it in a chronological order, which is very useful to a reader to check for quick reference. As it is, in these days of haste, most people go for reading things that are presented in a concise form and exactly this is fulfilled by this particular presentation. One gets a very clear view of the growth and development of films both in terms of their quality, quantity and genre along with the proceedings of the chapters that are arranged as clapstick 1 to clapstick 7. Designating the chapters with terminologies of film thus keeps reminding one of what the book deals with that often transforms it into a film in print.

The authors have applied primarily a methodology of survey research to collect data for their purpose. Content analyses supplemented by audience analysis have revealed the quality of the content of three films of the present time that are absolutely devoid of any sense of purpose, let alone some residual sense of beauty which is part and parcel of any creative work. To a sensible person such a job is truly a product of empty-headed people who think that they can make viewers consume whatever they feed them. This myth that keeps film makers engulfed in their daydreams has been altogether dispelled by analysing the responses of the audience statistically. Demand for a good film has been indicated even by people from lower income groups. Such viewers are more often than not taken as primary consumers of low quality films. The indication of the authors regarding this make-believe perception of the film makers is most palpable in their strongly worded utterances.

The latter part of the book deals elaborately with the erosion that has consciously been brought about by many associated with the film industry. A regression of a vicious nature thus has taken place, creating an abyss. When the authors wistfully talk about the lost glory of cinemas, one feels a kind of frustration knowing that there was once a time when the cinema hall was not only a centre for entertainment but also a hub for social interaction in a community.

The most vital lesson one learns by going through this book is that the audience by and large demand good films the same way they ask for other amenities of life since wholesome entertainment is part of life, society and our culture. Dedicating this very recently published book to the memory of the unforgettable Hiralal Sen is laudable, although his production is not recognised as the first film of Bangladesh owing to some debatable issues.

Since the focus of the book is on the intensity of decay in popular culture in terms of film making, the prescriptive approach contained in the last chapter is most useful as a set of recommendations. To highlight the contrast between present day films and quality films of yesteryears, the authors could have incorporated content analysis of a couple of films from the latter. Also the photo frame on the front cover page could have had a display of the same to draw a distinction between these two classes of films rather than having all from a bunch of incredulous ones. This would have been more in keeping with the sub-title of the book.

We wholeheartedly agree with the authors that we too love to see films and therefore would like to see how early things can be put back on the right track. Let us raise a slogan echoing the authors that we demand healthy entertainment through films.

Nazma Yeasmeen Haq is a critic and Principal, Radiant International School, Dhaka .

A New Book on Popular Cinema of Bangladesh

A new research based book on popular cinema of Bangladesh by Giti Ara Nasreen and Fahmidul Haq has been published from Shrabon Prokashoni in the Ekushey Bookfair, February 2008. The book is now available at Shrabon's showroom at Shahbag book market.

For an impression, here are some relevant information:

Title: Bangladesher Chalochchitro Shilpo: Sangkote Janosangskriti
(The Film Industry of Bangladesh: Popular Culture in Crisis)
Authors: Giti Ara Nasreen and Fahmidul Haq
Publisher: Shrabon Prokashoni
Cover: Robin Ahsan
Number of Pages: 186
Price: BDT 200

Lists of Contents

Acknowledgement

Clapstick 1
Wide Angel: Film as Popular Culture

Clapstick 2
Flashback: The History of Film of Bangladesh (1996-1999)

Clapstick 3
Zoom-in: Contemporary Trends of Film Industry

Clapstick 4
Slow Motion: Government, Censor Board and Film of Bangladesh

Clapstick 5
Mise-en-scene: Textual Analysis--What Do Public Swallow?

Clapstick 6
Close-up: The Face of the Audience and the Theatres

Clapstick 7
Deep Focus: Solution Formula of the Crisis

End Notes, References of Stills and References

Mass Media in Bangladesh: A Brief Overview

After 1990, in a changed global economic and political situation, the scenario of Bangladeshi media was also changed as consistent with global and regional media scenario. Globalization demands market liberalization along with the liberalization of media as well. In that process, though the government of Bangladesh always heavily controlled the state owned radio and television channels but, in the early 90s, they gave permission to broadcast the satellite channels commercially. As a result, Bangladeshi audience was flooded by immense of foreign television channels, which had only the experience of Bangladesh Television (BTV) before 1990s.

The electronic media of Bangladesh is expansive at the moment. Now there are eight private satellite channels, which broadcast entertainment programs and news, in general. There are two FM radio channels, major programs of which are music and news. In media discourse, community radio is a much-talked issue but the government is yet to give permission of any community radio. According to the National Media Survey (NMS) in 1998, the national reach of the various media was radio 39%, television 42%, newspapers/magazines 15%, and cinema 17%. (Chowdhury, 2003: 107)

Just after the landmark of 1990, there was a ‘boom’ of print media. In 1990, the beginning of globalization and ending of direct and indirect military rule, of more than one decade, occurred simultaneously. On December 6, 1990, the first Caretaker Government, which was formed to arrange a free and fair election in the process of democratization, withdrew a newspaper control regulation from Special Powers Act, 1974. With this step, obtaining registration for a newspaper became easier. In a country of 130 millions of people, though only about 1.3 million of copies of newspapers are sold daily, there were 300 dailies in Bangladesh at the end of the millennium. (BCDJC, 2003: 4) For electronic media, there was one TV and another radio channel owned by the government. But for print media, it is an all-private-ownership show, mostly by corporate companies, which replaced politicians.

According to NMS in 1998, 15% of population read newspaper at least once a week. But newspaper reading is still an urban habit. Around half of city dwellers (44%) read newspapers against 10% in rural areas. (Chowdhury, 2003: 107) According to a study conducted by the Press Institute of Bangladesh in 1994, the findings of which were released in 1998, only 12% of the readerships consider newspapers to be credible and about 55% believe that there is a freedom of expression. The factors here include government intervention, pre-censorship, political pressure, obstacles put forward by different quarters, lack of neutral outlook and dependence of newspapers on government advertisements. (Rahman and Ahmed, 2004)

Although Article 39 (2) of Bangladesh constitution guarantees (a) the right of every citizen to freedom of speech and expression and (b) freedom of the press, there are 20 constraining laws, including Official Secrets Act, designed to repress freedom of expression. The specific areas of restrictions are related to the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence. After the strong demand of journalists and civil society, the government has decided to introduce Right to Information Act in 2007.

However, since 1990, Bangladeshi newspapers enjoy moderate level of press freedom as per the government control is concerned. But the electronic media is deprived of enjoying that freedom. Not only the state owned BTV or Bangladesh Betar (the radio channel), private TV channels are also under close supervision of the government. In 2007, the military backed present Caretaker Government, which took power on January 11, 2007 after series of political violence, ruled a state of emergency and the media went again under control and lost the gained freedom.

Press freedom in Bangladesh is also restrained by physical harassment of journalists in Bangladesh. Six journalists were killed and 282 injured, mostly the local reporters, in attacks across the country in three years till December 2003. (Rahman, 2004: 7) According to a study by Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), Bangladesh’s position is the 118th in terms of press freedom and it is because ‘political parties constantly endanger the lives of journalists’. (Rahman, 2004: 8) The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on March 5, 2004 described Bangladesh as the most violent country for newspersons in Asia. (Rahman, 2004: 71) Besides governmental control by laws and strict watch and physical harassment against journalists, corporate control by advertising and other media business related matters, restricts media to perform proper journalism.

Reference

Chowdhury, Afsan (2004). Media in Times of Crisis: National and International Issues. Shrabon. Dhaka.
Rahman, Golam and Ahmed, Helal Uddin (2004). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Multimedia CD. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Dhaka.
BCDJC (Bangladesh Centre For Development, Journalism and Communication) (2003); Madhyam (Bangladesh Media Directory); BCDJC; Dhaka.
Rahman, Mahfuzur (2004). The State of Media in Bangladesh. News Network. Dhaka.

Reporting on HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh: Media Content Analysis

Introduction
While HIV/AIDS is a key health issue in the world, the role of media is very important to create awareness against the fatal disease. In several studies in the area of communication, it was found that mass media can be used for informing and awareness building of any issue, though interpersonal level of communication could be the best way for persuasion and behavioral change of people. On the other hand, the capacity of mass media in influencing behavior is no less important in respect to its cost-effective nature and its cumulative effect on the population. For Bangladesh, standing in the edge of the risk of spreading HIV/AIDS in epidemic form, awareness building program through mass media could play very important role. For that, in spite of program taken by GOs and NGOs, it is important to examine the content and standard of reporting in mass media of Bangladesh in the area of HIV/AIDS. As there was no comprehensive study in the area of above mentioned topic, this study is going to explore some aspects in the area, though it may bear some limitations.

Bangladesh and HIV/AIDS
Bangladesh is said to be a country of low prevalence but high risk for HIV/AIDS. The first HIV/AIDS case was detected in the country in 1989. Bangladesh has a population of around 14 million. According to Bangladesh government, in this country the number of people living with AIDS (PLWHAs) are only 500, by December 2004, a total of 465 people were confirmed as HIV positive 87 of whom developed AIDS and among them 44 have died. But WHO said there are 20,000 HIV infected persons in Bangladesh and according to UNICEF the figure is 15,000.
Some important high-risk factors for spread of HIV in Bangladesh are: poverty and population density, highly affected neighboring countries with HIV/AIDS, inadequate awareness among high risk group and general population, high external and internal migration, unsafe blood transfusion and injection practices, significant number of people have pre or extra marital sex etc.
Bangladesh government has taken National AIDS/STD Program (NASP) to reduce the spread of HIV and impact of AIDS for the high-risk group as well as the general population of Bangladesh by undertaking targeted interventions among the high-risk groups and making general population aware about HIV/AIDS.

Print Media in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has a very extensive and relatively free print media, comprising of 990 publications among which, there are 328 dailies. The newspaper readership among the total population is 26%. (BCDJC, 2004) Just after the landmark of 1990, when Bangladesh entered into a democratic process after an urban-based revolution against an autocratic government, there was a ‘boom’ of print media. Even now, two or three newspapers are adding themselves in the row every year. Though Bangladesh is a country of 140 millions of people, only about 1.3 million of copies of newspapers are sold daily. (BCDJC, 2004)
There is no in-depth study so far of the media coverage on HIV/AIDS issue, but it is very much evident that Bangladeshi media covers the issue frequently as the Bangladesh government and NGOs are working on the issue for years. But the standard and depth of the news stories are yet to examine.

Methodology and Objective
In this research, all HIV/AIDS related news items (282 items) published between July-October 2005 in 17 local newspapers (9 of which in local language and 8 in English) of Bangladesh, have been analyzed where quantitative data are provided on aspects such as story subject matter, length, placement in newspaper, source of the item and inclusion of PLWHA viewpoints. The time period for examining HIV/AIDS reporting in Bangladeshi newspapers was selected in random basis with the expectation that all items of almost all leading newspapers published in any quarter of a year would be representative enough to get an impression about the content and qualitative standard of the reporting.
The objective of the media content surveys, conducted between July-October 2005, was to gain a deeper understanding of the frequency and quality of local reporting on HIV/AIDS and in particular to investigate the use of language and inaccuracies in the reporting.
A random selection of the collected stories is also qualitatively assessed. Stories are evaluated on both journalistic quality and on their HIV/AIDS content.

Quantitative Analysis of Data
• English newspapers publish more news than Bangla newspapers, but their sources of news on HIV/AIDS are heavily external. For example, The New Nation has published as many as 47 items but only 5 of them were from internal sources. But though Bangla newspapers publish a few number of news on HIV/AIDS, they try to publish those from internal sources.
• Out of 6 1st page news, a Bangla newspaper named Bhorer Kagojpublishes 4 of them, though 3 of them were of single column. The poor number of 1st page news depicts the newspaper houses don’t consider HIV/AIDS a key health issue of the time.
• Among English newspapers, The New Nation published maximum number of news (43) and The New Age published minimum number of news (9) on HIV/AIDS. The news Today (26), The Bangladesh Today (26), The Independent (33) and The Bangladesh Observer (34) also published significant number of news item on HIV/AIDS. Among Bangla newspapers, The Bhorer Kagoj published maximum number of news (19) and The Ajker Kagoj published minimum number of news (3) on HIV/AIDS.
• Apart from news, there have been published a total number of 22 comments and features. But Out of 22 there were only 3 editorials, which reflects sort of policy level negligence on HIV/AIDS issue.
• Though the leading English and Bangla daily The Daily Star (11) and The Prothom Alo (4) published very few number of news item, but the news of these two newspapers were comparatively elaborative, in-depth and by-lined.

Qualitative analysis
For qualitative analysis, 17 news (2 foreign stories included) have been selected from 17 newspapers. Although a significant number of stories (13.5%) were too brief (of 1 column and 1 paragraph) and those stories were badly written (i.e. the content just describe ‘seminar/workshop/round table meeting held’, doesn’t describe what was found/said/discussed in that meeting), for qualitative analysis comparatively important and bigger news have been selected in random basis.
The sample were scored for:
• Story construction (newsworthiness, structure, lead well written, answers who what where why when); provides background.
• Story content (accuracy, reporters views absent; information correctly attributed); provides a full and fair picture; information is clear; quotes used effectively); tone is appropriate;
• HIV/AIDS related content (avoids stigmatizing language; coverage of PLWHA empowering rather than victimizing; information is accurate; local voices appropriately used.
• Presentation (headline well written; layout good; appropriate length)
The researcher scored a random selection if 17 better stories as follows :
• Average score on overall quality: 71.5%
• Story construction: 75.3%
• Story content: 75.3%
• HIV/AIDS related content: 61.2%
• Presentation: 72.9%

General Trends in HIV/AIDS Reporting in Bangladesh
While HIV/AIDS appears as a topic fairly regularly in print media of Bangladesh, the coverage lacks breadth and depth and some key aspects of the issue rarely appear or are absent. A significant amount of inaccurate and stigmatizing terminology appears in the reporting and viewpoints of PLWHA are barely covered. General story-writing standards are weak (for example story construction, accuracy, and writing the lead) though some stories were found in standard. It was also noticed that little independent research by journalists is evident; journalists tend to rely heavily on news releases from government, NGOs and foreign news agencies for their stories, rather than taking the initiative to investigate the issue independently.

Conclusions
Given the great social, economic and human suffering costs the HIV/AIDS, the results suggests that the Bangladeshi press is still significantly under and inadequately reporting the issues.

The press in Bangladesh needs to develop and focus on:
• Improving awareness and usage of non-stigmatizing terminology (glossary provision and distribution).
• Improving awareness around the relationship with PLWHA with a view to increasing their voice and reducing stigma.
• Improving journalists general knowledge and interest around HIV/AIDS issues and pointing towards potential story angles, tailored to particular country situation.
• Avoiding publishing news taken from external sources and providing staff articles for meaningful coverage.
• Strengthening general journalism skills (writing, story construction and development, etc)
• Encouraging the writing of features, editorial, the practice of independent research.

Reference
BCDJC (Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication) (2004); Madhyam (Bangladesh Media Directory); Dhaka: BCDJC.

Note: This is an excerpt from a research article of the same title conducted by Fahmidul Haq.

Top 20 Film Directors of Bangladesh

1. Zahir Raihan (Stop Genocide, 1971)
2. Alamgir Kabir (Dhire Bahe Meghna, 1973)
3. Salahuddin (Surjasnan, 1962)
4. Suvash Dutt (Dumurer Phool, 1978)
5. Sheikh Niamat Ali (Surja Dighal Bari, 1979, with Masihuddin Shaker)
6. Khan Ataur Rahman (Abar Tora Manoosh Ho, 1973)
7. Humayun Ahmed (Shrabon Megher Din, 1999)
8. Chashi Nazrul Islam (Ora Egaro Jon, 1972)
9. Amjad Hossain (Golapi Ekhon Trene, 1978)
10. Kabir Anwar (Suprovat, 1976)
11. Tareque Masud (Matir Moina, 2002)
12. Catherine Masud (Ontorjatra, 2006, with Tareque Masud)
13. Morshedul Islam (Chaka, 1993)
14. Abu Sayeed (Shankhonad, 2004)
15. Tanvir Mokammel (Chitra Nadir Pare, 1999)
16. Touqir Ahmed (Joyjatra, 2005)
17. Nurul Alam Atiq (Choturtha Matra, 2002)
18. Shahin Dil-Reaz (Jibon Jole Bele, 2001)
29. Yasmin Kabir (Swadhinota, 2002)
20. Mostofa Sarwar Farooqi (Bachelor, 2003)

[Directors made more than one film have been considered for the list. The list doesn’t follow any order of choice]

Film of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a medium sized film industry that produces around 90 feature films annually and those films are screened in more than 800 theatres all over the country. Bangladesh had started producing ‘industry films’ from 1956 when it was the eastern part of Pakistan. But the earliest filmmaker of Bangladesh is Hiralal Sen who is a man from Manikganj, Bangladesh (the then East Bengal) and made Loumiere Brothers-like one-reelers in Kolkata at the end of 19th century and who can be considered even the fist filmmaker of Indian Sub-continent. From the very beginning, the film industry of Bangladesh had been producing films that blend art and commercial elements and flavors. Later, the art elements disappeared gradually and commercial elements grabbed the industry films totally.

Simultaneously in the mid 1980s a new stream of independent films of Bangladesh has been introduced to the mediascape of the country which is popularly known as alternative films, primarily which were short in length. Albeit limited in numbers and distribution, these independent films are accepted by the urban middle class viewers. Individual producers, TV channels and external sources are investing in the films of some reputed independent filmmakers. On the other hand, being branded as the films of ‘poor taste’, the industry films are not getting back their investments and struggling for their existence. Many cinema halls have been shut down and some others planning to as the business seems to be a loosing concern. While yet not financially profitable independent streams are still continuing to produce ‘good’ films. Zahir Raihan and Alamgir Kabir can be named as the most prominet filmmakers of 1960s and 1970s respectively. Salahuddin, Subhash Dutt, Amjad Hossain, Chashi Nazrul Islam are some other filmamers of early part of film history of Bangladesh though some of them are still continuing filmmaking. On the other hand Tareque Masud, Catherine Masud, Morshedul Islam, Tanvir Mokammel and Abu Sayeed are leading independent filmmakers of Bangladesh. Some eminent filmmakers from India also made films in Bangladesh. Ritwik Ghatak, Rajen Tarafdar, Goutom Ghosh, Basu Chaterjee are some names among them.

Some prominent films of Bangladesh are: Surjasnan (1962) by Salahuddin, Nadi O Nari (1965) by Sadeq Khan, Stop Genocide (1971) by Zahir Raihan, Ora Egaro Jon (1972) by Chashi Nazrul Islam, Dhire Bahe Meghna (1973) by Alamgir Kabir, Titas Ekti Nadir Naam (1973) by Ritwik Ghatak, Basundhara (1977) by Subhash Dutt, Golapi Akhon Traine (1978) by Amjad Hossain, Surjo Dighal Bari (1979) by Masihuddin Shaker and Sheikh Niamat Ali, Chaka (1993) by Morshedul Islam, Chitra Nadir Pare (1999) by Tanvir Mokammel, Matir Moina (2002) by Tareque Masud, Shankhonaad (2004) by Abu Sayeed.

Independent Film of Bangladesh

There is debate about the starting point of independent filmmaking of Bangladesh. One noted film commenter and filmmaker Manjare Hassin Murad likes to count Stop Genocide (1971), the documentary made by Zahir Raihan, the greatest filmmaker in 1960s as the first independent film in Bangladesh. The film was funded by newly formed Expatriate Government of Bangladesh staying in India while the country was battling with West Pakistan Army. Some other critics like Zakir Hossain Raju identified Suryo Dighal Bari (The Ominous House, 1979) as the first independent cinema which was the first film funded by Bangladesh Government after independence in 1971 and it was made within the production and distribution network by Film Development Corporation (FDC), the only major studio in Bangladesh. The film brought first international success in post liberation era though it experienced different constraints in releasing and screening in theatres at home.

But most of the film buffs consider Agami (Time Ahead, 1984) as the starting point of independent filmmaking. Because for critical and commercial success of Agami, independent filmmaking arrives as a movement. The movement was popularly known as ‘short film movement’ and later as ‘alternative film movement’. The movement got the shape after both critical and commercial success of Agami by Morshedul Islam and Hulyia (Wanted, 1984) by Tanvir Mokammel. Agami got the silver peacock in the best director category in Delhi International Film Festival. Hulyia also got admirations of critics and audience. These films were funded by directors themselves with support of friends and family members and were shown outside cinema theatres: among the friends, local groups, especially among the students of college and universities and cultural activists. The directors were involved in the entire process of the filmmaking: writing scripts, funding, making and screening. These two films were shown together in different corners of the country and these are real examples of independent films: low and independent funds, alternative distribution channels, shot in 16 mm, without any studio involvement and commercial motives and in content, very much related with national culture and politics. With this set standard and format, a lot of young makers came forward later and a movement started.

However, while the contemporary mainstream films have failed to achieve any accolades at home or abroad; directors of the independent genre such as, Tareque and Catherine Masud, Tanvir Mokammel, Morshedul Islam and Abu Sayeed have gained national and international recognition. Matir Moina by Tareque Masud is the most famous independent film and also the most prominent film so far from Bangladesh. Some other good independent films of Bangladesh are: Chaka (1993) and Khelaghar (2006) by Morshedul Islam, Chitra Nadir Pare (1999) and Lalsalu (2001) by Tanvir Mokammel, Shankhonaad (2004) and Nirontor (2007) by Abu Sayeed, Muktir Gaan (1995), Ontorjatra (2006) by Tareque and Catherine Masud, Swapnodanai (2007) by Golam Robbani Biplob.