300 Bangla films burnt to ashes

The havoc wrought by the fire

The reason? A devastating fire at the New Bangabazar Hawkers' Market on November 22 which destroyed around 300 films. The hub of the fire was a five-storey building at 1/1 Bangabandhu Avenue that housed 21 film-making and distributing offices. The number includes more than a hundred landmark creations of the golden period of Bangla films including two acclaimed films on the Liberation War made in more recent times--Danga and Sipahi.

Describing the damage caused by the fire, Ansar Ali of AHM Productions said, 'All the decade-old production houses situated in this building produced hundreds of classic films that were stored in the office compound. All of these films, except a very few, are lost forever as there are no more copies of the negatives of these films.' The havoc wrought by the fire was compounded by the clumsy 50-year-old five-storey building and the absence of fire fighting devices. 'We could not even try to save the films and other valuables in the building due to lack of fire fighting devices,' said Harun of Shadow Pictures.

The ZA Films spokesperson said that they have lost at least 20 films including Kajol Lata, Nayoner Kajol, Ankhi Milon, Alo Amar Alo, Gayer Chheley. Desh Kothachitro has lost 30 of its titles including Anarkoli, Swadhin, Shondhi, Anurodh, Khudha, Toposya, Nantu Ghatak, Poradhin and many more. Chayabani Shangstha lost Shobar Ojantey, Etotuku Asha, Matribhumi, Anurag, Shawpno Diye Ghera, Bhanga-Gora, Shamorpon, Aka-banka, Chokher Joley etc. The fire burnt over 60 other films like Bipod Sanket, Danga, Sipahi, Didar, Nanad Bhabi, Uttar Falguni, Goyenda, Love Letter and Accident produced by Shanglapchitro, Shadow Pictures, Robi Chalachchitra and Abhi Films.

Among others Geet Chitrakotha, Moushumi Kothachitro, Desh Chitrakotha, Masud Kothachitro, ZA Films, Parjoar Films, Rumi Films, Chhayabani Shangstha, Metro Films, MK Movies, Mohua Movies, Chaturanga Kothachitro, FT Productions, Five-star Productions, Azad Pictures, Monju Movies, Shawpan Pictures, Udayan Chalachchitro, Momata Kothachitro have also lost many super hit productions.

This latest disaster has once again brought into focus the necessity of preserving films in the Bangladesh Film Archive (BFA). Although the film producers are bound to submit to the archive a print of each released film according to the Copyright Act 2000, in Bangladesh no producer is interested in preserving their films in the BFA due to difference of opinion with the authorities.

KMR Manzur, chairman of Bangladesh Film Producers' and Distributors' Association, said, 'The authorities should share the cost of the print so that producers are willing to submit a copy of their films.'

The affected producers are distraught. 'If we had submitted copies of our films, they would not have been lost,' admitted Mujibur Rahman of Chhayabani Shangstha, adding, 'The government should make the archive more effective.'

'The government should support the affected producers in recovering the loss,' said Manzur.

There is a brighter side for the hard-pressed producers: the officials of the Ministry of Information say that they will extend all co-operation to find ways to recover the immense loss.