Md. Nahid Islam, an information and broadcasting adviser, advocated today for a stronger cultural campaign to inspire people to oppose fascism.
“Though one particular political fascist-force has been eliminated through July-August mass uprising, but still there are many fascist tendencies and ruling structure based on fascism in the society. To get rid of this situation, we need to strengthen cultural movement in the country,” he said.
The adviser made the call while serving as the main guest at the 17th Bangladesh International Short and Independent Film Festival-2024’s opening session, which took place at the capital’s biggest auditorium of the National Museum in Shahbagh.
This year’s festival, which is being organized by the Bangladesh Short Film Forum, will include 276 films from more than 100 nations. The event will start today and run through December 27.
Bangladesh International Short and Independent Film Festival has been dedicated to the martyrs of the July-August movement and artiste S M Sultan marking his birth centenary.
Special guests who spoke at the event included renowned photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, Ashanur Rahman, the country business manager of City Bank, Dr. Zahirul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Short Film Forum, and Syed Imran Hossain Kirmani, the director of the festival’s committee.
According to Nahid Islam, the adviser for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, the government, through the relevant ministries, wishes to support all cultural organizations because cultural practices have the power to positively alter people’s perspectives.
He emphasized the necessity of fostering a strong mentality among all parties involved, including the government, in order to advance the nation’s film industry.
Through a mass movement and the sacrifices of several students, the interim government assumed responsibility for the nation, he said, adding that it would create a new Bangladesh that took into account the goals and aspirations of its citizens.
Through reforms and the growth of all industries, including the film industry, the government will do everything in its power to make the dream of creating a new Bangladesh a reality, he continued.
Noting that Bangladesh was built in 1971 through the Liberation War with many new dreams but those dreams remained unfulfilled in the last 53 years, he said, adding that from this regret, a mass uprising has been emerged in the country in 2024.
He hoped that the spirit and aspiration of the July mass uprising will remain intact in the days to come to fulfill people’s new dreams.
The history of 1971 was distorted through politicization, he said, adding that the history of 2024′ mass uprising and participation of student-people in the mass uprising should be highlighted properly among the people at home and abroad.
Since many individuals are disseminating propaganda against Bangladesh on some matters, he hoped that everyone participating in various cultural institutions would take responsibility for bringing attention to the truth about the July public movement and the current state of affairs in Bangladesh.
He stated that because films, even short films, can highlight appropriate history and narrative, festivals like the Bangladesh International Short and Independent Film Festival are significant in the nation.
With the establishment of pertinent institutions, he expressed the expectation that Bangladesh will emerge as South Asia’s literary and cultural hub.
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