The organizing authority has suspended the screening of Tanim Noor's 'Banlata Express' film in Brahmanbaria today (May 30). On the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha, Brahmanbaria Film Society organized this exhibition at Annada Government High School in the district town at 3 pm.
The organizing authorities said they have suspended the exhibition for the time being. But the exhibition will be organized soon. However, the school authority's permission and the local communal student organization have raised strong objections and criticisms based on this exhibition.
There have been conflicting statements from the organizers and school authorities regarding the screening of the film. Brahmanbaria Film Society advisor Mohaiminul Azbeen claimed, “Three people including the general secretary of the organization met the headmaster of Annada Government High School and submitted the written permission. He kept the permission in the file and gave the permission.”
On the other hand, Sabina Yasmin, acting headmistress of the school, completely denied this claim and said, “Some former students of the school met me and said that they will sit and discuss the reunion in the hall. But the film exhibition will be organized in the school – I was not informed about such a thing and I did not give any written permission.”
From last Thursday and Friday, students of the district's Qaumi Chhatra Oikya Parishad protested strongly on social media Facebook against the screening of the movie.
Brahmanbaria Zilla Qaumi Chhatra Oikya Parishad leader Hafez Nasurullah Muaz posted a red cross on the photocard of the 'Banlata Express' exhibition on his Facebook. In the post, he wrote, “Such activities must be stopped immediately. We wish for the administration's vision and effective action, so that the religious and social environment of Brahmanbaria remains intact.”
An emergency meeting was held on Friday afternoon at Jamia Islamia Yunusia Madrasa on the orders of the top scholars of the district. The meeting was presided over by Maulana Ali Azam Kasemi, Advisor of Qaumi Oikya Parishad and General Secretary of District Hefazte Islam.
The speakers in the meeting alleged that a kuchkri mahal is organizing this exhibition to spread Islamophobia and obscenity in Brahmanbaria. The meeting decided to resist this exhibition.
A member present at the meeting, on condition of anonymity, said that a peaceful vigilance program was announced at Bad Johar Jamia Islamia Yunusiya today on Saturday on the order of the scholars so that no one could cause a deterioration of the law and order situation and chaos due to the demonstration.
Maulana Ali Azam Kasemi, General Secretary of Brahmanbaria District Hefazte Islam, said that a meeting was held with the district clerics and students of Qaumi Chhatra Oikya Parishad yesterday. First the film, secondly the incident took a different turn based on the comments made by one side about Allama Fakhre Bangal (Tajul Islam) (R.H.) on Facebook.
Brahmanbaria Film Society is basically a social organization of undergraduate students of various educational institutions of the district. They had been showing films titled 'Bhatghumer Cinema Adda' for a year. The organization organized the screening of the film 'Banlata Express' on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
Tauja Khandkar, a member of the organization and a student of Brahmanbaria Government College, said that they met the local Member of Parliament (Brahmanbaria-3) Khaled Hossain Mahbub yesterday evening. The member of parliament has assured to solve the issue by discussing the issue with Qaumi students and teachers. However, he complained that no assistance or response was received from the administration in this regard.
Meanwhile, Brahmanbaria Film Society has issued an official statement on the incident. However, no one was specifically made a party there. The statement said that the event will be rescheduled soon.
