‘Kathgolap’ banned in Bangladesh

Published : Tuesday, 28 October, 2025 at 5:06 PM Count : 50

The award-winning Bangladeshi film "Kathgolap", which received international acclaim at several foreign festivals, has been officially banned in Bangladesh.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday, the film has been declared uncertified and prohibited for exhibition across the country.

The notice stated, "As the appeal application has been rejected, the film is considered uncertified and is hereby banned from public exhibition throughout Bangladesh." It further warned that any screening of the film would result in confiscation and legal action against those involved.

The ministry cited a violation of Section 12(1) of the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023, as the reason for rejecting the appeal filed for "Kathgolap".

When contacted, Film Certification Board Vice Chairman S M Abdur Rahman confirmed the decision to bdnews24.com's Glitz section, saying, "The screening of the film has been banned." He, however, declined to comment further on the specific reasons behind the decision.

Produced by Farman Ali under Dreamland Entertainment, "Kathgolap" is directed by Sazzad Khan. The film's story and screenplay were written by Aporna Rubel, featuring performances by Keya, Rashed Mamun Apu, Meghla Mukta, and Dilruba Doyel.

Reacting to the decision, director Sazzad Khan told bdnews24.com, "This film has been praised at several international festivals, yet it cannot be shown to audiences in my own country. It's a strange decision! There's nothing in this film that justifies a ban."

"Kathgolap" has been screened and awarded at various international festivals, including the Shanta Dev International Film Festival in Chennai and the Navy International Film Festival in Malaysia.

Criticising the decision, Sazzad questioned, "The Certification Board's role is to classify and certify films — why are they banning them? After protests against the censorship board, we now have a certification board, yet they continue to ban films under the old system."

The Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023 replaced the Censorship of Films Act, 1963 during the last term of the Awami League government. The Film Censor Board was later reconstituted on September 15, 2024, following political changes and public protests.

Despite the new certification law, questions remain about why films are still being banned under practices reminiscent of the former censor board system.

FP/MI