Rajshahi, known as the Silk City by the banks of the river Padma, once had six cinema halls but all of them have been closed one by one. For four years there was no cinema hall in this divisional city. Finally, the regret of movie lovers is gone. The Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud inaugurated a branch of Star Cineplex Rajshahi’s Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park Joy Silicon Tower. The State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Star Cineplex Chairman Mahbub Rahman Ruhel were present at the cake cutting ceremony.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Shafiqul Islam Shimul, MP of Natore-2 Constituency, Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, Managing Director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, AKM Fazlul Haque, Project Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Rajshahi Range Abdul Baten and other senior officials of Star Cineplex.
Actress Ajmeri Haque Badhan was present as a star at this single screen Cineplex launch. Expressing her feelings, she said, ‘I am very happy that Cineplex has launched a single screen here. But I hope they introduce more screens here. It is very sad, all the halls that were there earlier in Rajshahi, have been demolished, closed.’
Pointing to the expansion of cinema halls, Badhan commented saying, ‘As the entertainment space of the people decreases, the social inequalities will increase. So I hope, not only Star Cineplex, others will also build more cinema halls here on their own initiative.’
While speaking as the chief guest at the event, the information minister said, ‘I am the minister of cinema. It would be nice if a movie theater opened somewhere. Our film industry has started to turn around again. I sincerely thank the Hi-tech Park authorities for setting up a Cineplex here.’
As the special guest in the event, the State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that there will be state-of-the-art cinema theaters in 12 more hi-tech parks in the country, and they will be managed under public and private ownership.
He also said, ‘Cultural revolution is needed to build a smart, liberal and progressive generation. Bangabandhu gave political freedom and independence, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave economic direction, and to sustain this economic prosperity, a cultural revolution is needed. For that we need to deliver healthy entertainment to our generation. Therefore, this modern cinema theater is the Prime Minister’s gift to the people of Rajshahi and the youth here.’
Mahbub Rahman Ruhel, chairman of Star Cineplex said on the occasion that there is a plan to have a total of 100 Cineplexes in the country. 17 have already been finalized. He feels that the more places where the film can be screened, the faster the money invested in the film will come back. Then the country’s film industry will move forward. He also said that he is working towards this goal.
After the opening ceremony, the Hollywood movie ‘Avatar-2’ was screened at Star Cineplex. The guests enjoyed it for a while. According to Cineplex authorities, there is an opportunity to watch movies in 2D and 3D system in two shifts every day, noon and afternoon. Today ticket price for morning shift is Tk. 250 while the afternoon 3D ticket price is Tk. 300.
From Saturday (January 14), the viewers can watch movies here through fixed tickets.
It is to be noted that, this Cineplex has been built with a hall in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park adjacent to Bulanpara Eye Dam in Rajshahi. There are 172 seats here. As always, all the facilities of a world-class cinema hall including the aesthetic environment, sound system with the latest technology, giant screen are available here.