Friday, April 3, marked National Film Day, with a series of events held at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation. However, the celebrations were overshadowed by allegations of a breach of national flag protocol and reports of disorder throughout the day.
Journalist Ranju Sarkar, who attended the event, told The TIMES of Bangladesh that the programme began in the morning with a cake-cutting ceremony led by BFDC Managing Director Masuma Rahman Tani, followed by a rally across the premises. “During the rally, we noticed the national flag was at half-mast. Such an error at a major national event is deeply concerning,” he said.
The national flag is flown at half-mast only on designated days of mourning and any deviation from protocol is considered a serious offence. The incident has drawn criticism from members of the film industry.
Actor Omar Sani also raised concerns about the organisation of the event, alleging that it was disrupted by outsiders and marked by the absence of several senior artistes. He said he attended after a long gap and was initially moved upon seeing a banner of his film ‘Chader Alo,’ but the experience quickly soured.
According to Sani, while he was in the Managing Director’s office, a group of around 40 to 50 people led by producer and actor Helal Khan entered the room. He described the situation as inappropriate for a high-security venue and said he felt disrespected, prompting him to leave shortly afterwards. He also criticised the presence of non-industry individuals occupying front-row seats, claiming that genuine artistes were sidelined despite repeated requests from organisers.
Responding to the allegations, BFDC Managing Director Masuma Rahman Tani denied any disrespect towards the national flag. She said the flag had temporarily lowered due to wind and was corrected immediately once noticed. She also downplayed reports of disorder, stating that the situation had been exaggerated.
