Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu, MP, said the ultra-modern Film Archive would play a revolutionary role in liberating the country from the oppression of false history. He was speaking at a meeting held at Agargaon, the site of the under-construction Film Archive where he had gone to oversee the ongoing work.
The truncated, patronized, false history that was imposed on the nation following the killings of August 15, 1975 has been reversed after the government led by Sheikh Hasina came to power, he said.
“The country is coming to know the true history of the country again, it has returned to the path of light,” he said.
The government believes that if we are to know history, tradition and culture of the country it needs to be conserved. Sheikh Hasina had that in mind when she proposed the idea of a modern Film Archive, the minister said.
The minister described all those involved with the construction work of the archive as being part of history.
Inu went round the entire building and its floors and asked those involved to complete it on time.
Additional Secretary SM Harun-ur-Rashid, director general of the Archive, Dr Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, project director of the building, Md Akhtaruzzaman and other concerned officials were present during the minister’s visit.
The under-construction building would have 24,000 square feet of film vault, two 480-seat auditoriums, a 120-seat conference center, laboratory, film restoration and reconstruction unit, research division, film museum, library, cafeteria and a parking lot with adequate space for 80 vehicles.
Later, the minister also visited the Department of Films and Publication (DFP) at its Circuit House Road office and examined the spot for the proposed Information Bhabhan. He advised concerned officials to follow up on the blue print. – Staff Reporter (Photo: PID)