Film producers and directors have urged the government to enact a new censorship law to stop copyright piracy. They made the call at a seminar titled “Protection of the Interest of Film and Copyright Law”, held at Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) on Thursday, 26 January, 2012.
BFDC and Bangladesh Copyright Office organized the seminar in collaboration with Bangladesh Copyright and Industrial Property Forum.
While reading out the keynote paper, Registrar of Copyright Office, Manzurur Rahman said, “Foreign films are being screened through cable networks without copyright. The practice severely destroys the growth of domestic film industry in Bangladesh.” He also urged to establish modern and well-equipped theaters and initiate more mobile-court functions to strangle rampant piracy.
BFDC Managing Director, M Hamid in his speech as chief guest underscored the need for sensitizing people against film piracy and called for launching a social movement to combat this vice. He said, “The film industry of Bangladesh is near to extinct and the people related with the industry are suffering because of the piracy.”
Members of Bangladesh Producer Distributor Association, Bangladesh Film Directors Association, Bangladesh Film Artists Association, Cable Operator of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Film Censor Board, BFDC and representatives from Ministry of Information and Communication Technology attended the seminar.