Cinema is set to return to Cox’s Bazar after a long hiatus as the Cox’s Bazar Film Society prepares to host a two-day film screening event featuring six films.
The event, titled Cox’s Bazar Talkies, is being organised in protest against the recent disruption of a screening of Bonolota Express in Brahmanbaria and to promote a healthy film culture in the country.
A press conference held at Shaheed Daulat Maidan of Cox’s Bazar Public Library on Wednesday afternoon announced the event.
Among those present at the press conference were Cox’s Bazar Film Society general secretary Yaseer Arafath, joint general secretary Jahin Faruk Amin, office and communications secretary Farhad Zaman Jony and member Abdu Rashid Manik.
Organisers said a total of six films would be screened over two days, on June 5 and 6, at Shaheed Subhash Hall in Cox’s Bazar Public Library. Screenings will run daily from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm, with three films scheduled each day.
The organisers noted that Cox’s Bazar has long experienced a scarcity of regular film screenings and film-related cultural activities. The initiative aims to bring film enthusiasts together and create a renewed cultural space centred on cinema.
The critically acclaimed film Hawa, directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, will screen at 3:00pm on the opening day, June 5. This will be followed by the documentary Rakib Khan: The Projectionist, directed by Shaheen Dil-Riaz, at 6:00 pm, and Delupi, directed by Mohammad Toukir Islam and his team, at 7:00 pm.
On June 6, screenings will begin with Fatima, directed by Dhruva Hasan, at 3:00 pm. The short film Tadatma Anveshan: The Eternal Journey, directed by Fazle Rabbi, will be shown at 5:30 pm, followed by Bonolota Express, directed by Tanim Noor, at 6:30 pm.
Joint general secretary Jahin Faruk Amin said all films would be screened with English subtitles, allowing both local and international audiences to enjoy them. Admission has been set at Tk 100 per day, while students will be able to attend for Tk 50. Registration will be available both online and at the venue.
Speaking at the press conference, general secretary Yaseer Arafath said cinema is not merely a form of entertainment but an important component of society and culture.
He said fostering an environment for film screenings and appreciation was essential to promoting creativity and free thinking, adding that Cox’s Bazar Talkies could open new possibilities for regular screenings and a broader, audience-based cultural movement in the district.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Courtesy
