State Reformation to Involve Patriots and Experts
Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan speaks as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the National Film Society Conference. BSS
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said on Saturday that the incumbent government intends to reform the state and society anew. Every stage of this process will be determined on the basis of national consensus, involving patriotic citizens of the relevant field.
The minister made these remarks as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the "National Film Society Conference 2026," organized by the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies at the Bangladesh Film Archive Auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Saturday morning.
The Information Minister emphasized that these changes are not being pursued merely for the sake of holding power, but to bring about a qualitative transformation in the state and social structure.
Zahir Uddin Swapan said during the 55-year history of the motherland, the nation has witnessed both glorious achievements and disasters. He expressed the intent to bridge the wisdom gained from those experiences of glory and hardship with the knowledge of experts.
He added that they recognize that ensuring quality production is impossible without effective exchange and intellectual connection with experts in all relevant fields, including cinema.
Describing cinema as a powerful medium for social change, the minister said that the state must support those who have joined the film movement purely out of passion, patriotism, and a commitment to human welfare, rather than the desire for wealth. This "soft power" or intellectual strength is vital for the development of society and civilization.
He stated that the government will work sincerely within state rules and legal frameworks to open up maximum opportunities for film professionals.
The Information Minister mentioned that the country has a tragic history of seeing the medium of cinema turned into a propaganda machine for specific groups under the guise of beautiful rhetoric. However, those who are subservient to a particular group or ideology cannot engage in free thought.
He urged those involved to transform the film society movement into a genuinely independent and free-thinking movement for social change, rather than letting it become a tool controlled by an external remote.
Distinguished art critic and film scholar Moinuddin Khaled was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the event for his outstanding contribution to the film society movement.
The Director General of the Bangladesh Film Archive, M. Javed Iqbal, spoke as a special guest at the ceremony, which was presided over by Dr. Zahirul Islam Kochi, President of the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies.
Representatives from various film societies across the country, filmmakers, and researchers also participated in the conference.
