Govt wants to ensure professionalism in film production with government grants: Arafat
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat said that more transparency and professionalism will be ensured in providing government grants for film production.
The State Minister said that in a discussion meeting with the members of the 'Full-length Film Grant Committee' formed for the purpose of providing government grants in the financial year 2023-24 at the Secretariat of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Meeting Room on Monday in the afternoon.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Md. Kausar Ahmed, Deputy Secretary Md. Saiful Islam, member of script selection committee for full-length film grant, Riffat Ferdous, assistant professor of television, film and photography department of Dhaka University, filmmaker Md. Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar, actress Falguni Hamid and actress Afsana Mimi, members of the ‘Full Length Film Grant Committee’, Dhaka University Professor of Theater and Performance and actress Wahida Mallik Jolly, Stamford University Associate Professor of Film and Media Department and filmmaker Matin Rahman, President of Bangladesh Film Directors Association And filmmaker Kazi Hayat and President of Rainbow Film Association Ahmed Mujtaba Jamal were present at the exchange meeting.
The state minister also added in the meeting that the government wants to ensure more professionalism in film production with government grants. The government is committed to ensuring that public funding for film production is provided through a transparent and accountable process. The government also wants to ensure that skilled and experienced people in the film industry can be involved in the selection process for grants. The aim of the government is to produce tasteful and quality films with government grants.
During the exchange, the State Minister gave various instructions to the members of the 'Feature Film Grant Script Selection Committee' and the 'Feature Film Grant Committee'.
While giving instructions, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said that the script selection committee for the full-length film grant will select the received package proposals and prepare a short list based on quality initially. Shortlisted grant aspirants will make presentations in front of expert members in the respective fields of the selection committee. Based on the presentation, the members of the selection committee will recommend to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for further shortlisting by awarding marks in prescribed cases. Members of the ‘Full Length Film Grant Committee’ will be present as observers. Grantees recommended by the selection committee for final selection will then make presentations to members of the Feature Film Grants Committee. Based on the presentation, the Grants Committee will send the marks to the Ministry for final decision in the prescribed cases. At this time the members of the script selection committee of the full-length film grant will be present as observers.
It is to be noted that with the aim of encouraging talent and creativity in the film industry and upholding the prevailing culture of Bangladesh, the spirit of independence and liberation war, life-oriented, tasteful and artistic films with humane values, government sponsorship and support for the production of films based on the Government Grant Policy, 2020 (revised) Grants are awarded.
