Numerous films faced bans during the previous administration, with some caught up in legal disputes while others were shelved for unexplained reasons. Producers voiced their frustration over films stalled in the censor board's approval process, but their protests yielded no resolution. For years, filmmakers have called for the abolition of the censor board in favour of a system of censor certification. 

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, known for his sharp and thought-provoking narratives, has established himself as a prominent figure in the drama genre within the world of cinema. Over the years, he has directed several intense films and series, one of which, "Saturday Afternoon", has faced significant delays due to various challenges. 

The film is based on the gruesome terrorist attack in Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery in 2016, the 83-minute film was shot in one take.

The film is a Bangladesh-Germany joint production, by Jaaz Multimedia, Chabial and and co-produced by Tandem Productions (Germany).

How is it that such a seasoned director did not seek consent from the victims’ families when making Faraaz?

On January 21, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's "Saturday Afternoon" (Shonibar Bikel) finally received a verbal clearance from the Bangladesh Film Censor Board, after being stuck in limbo for four long years. However, the film has not received the official clearance letter, which will let Farooki go about planning the theatrical release of the movie—which he wants to happen before “Faraaz” comes out this February 3.

Ekushey Padak winning actor Mamunur Rashid will soon be seen in the Mostafa Sarwar Farooki directorial, "Saturday Afternoon" (Shonibar Bikel). After four long years, the film has finally gained clearance from the censor board. Speaking about the good news, Mamunur Rashid said, "I am overjoyed at the fact that ‘Saturday Afternoon’ is finally on its way to a theatrical release in Bangladesh.”

Reliable sources from the Bangladesh Film Censor Board have confirmed to The Daily Star that there is no more hurdles in order to release Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s film “Saturday Afternoon” (Shonibar Bikel).

Earlier, the official trailer for Hansal Mehta's thriller film, "Faraaz", was released. The film is said to be based on the tragic Holey Artisan café incident, which shook the country to the core on July 1, 2016.

As Bollywood gets ready to release “Faraaz”, a movie based on the Holey Artisan attack, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s “Saturday Afternoon”—based on the same event—is still stuck in censor board limbo.

The official trailer for Hansal Mehta's thriller-film, "Faraaz", was released by T-Series, on its YouTube channel, earlier today. The film is said to be based on the tragic Holey Artisan incident which took place in Dhaka on July 1, 2016.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki referred to this statement and posted on social media, expressing his rage against the responsible authorities who are still remaining silent for the release of "Saturday Afternoon".

It has been a long time now that internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has been making his anguish public, for not getting the approval for his film “Saturday Afternoon” from the Censor Board of Bangladesh.