HC orders screening of film 'The Remand' on July Uprising

Anti-discrimination student movement of July 2024

Dhaka, Mar 19 --The High Court on Wednesday directed the issuance of a certification for the film, The Remand, which is based on the anti-discrimination student movement.

A HC bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja passed the order and issued a rule following a preliminary hearing of a writ petition.

Lawyer Md Gias Uddin Chowdhury represented the petitioner in the court.

Lawyer Gias Uddin said that the high court ordered the issuance of the certification certificate within three days.

Earlier, the film's producer and director, Syed Belayet Hossain Belal, had filed a writ petition.

The writ named the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Vice Chairman, and the Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Film Certification Board as defendants.

Directed by Ashrafur Rahman, The Remand features actors Zakia Bari Mamo, Parvez Abir Chowdhury, Salha Khanam Nadia, Lutfur Rahman George, and others.

After completing production, the film was submitted to the Bangladesh Film Certification Board and previewed on December 30.

However, the authorities have not granted permission for its screening, and despite sending two legal notices, no response has been received.

Consequently, the petitioner filed the writ seeking a court order to release the film within three days.

Producer Belal said that the film is a historical document that aims to preserve the memory of the heroic sacrifices made by students and the public during the July uprising.

He explained that after the film's screening process was completed on December 30, the law mandates that any anti-state content must be notified within seven days.

Since no letter or notification has been issued by the authorities and no discussions have taken place, he urged that the certification be granted immediately so the film can be released by the Film Certification Board. - UNB