Badal Rahman memorial lecture held

Marking the sixth death anniversary of filmmaker-film society movement activist Badal Rahman (June 11), Moviyana Film Society and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) organised a memorial lecture at the BSA's Seminar Room on Saturday. Federation of Film Societies of Bangladesh (FFSB) assisted in the programme.

A Al Mamun, professor of the mass communication and journalism department of Rajshahi University, presented the lecture, on “The politics of Baul presentations in Bangla cinema”.

Apart from the lecture, eminent cultural personalities including thespian Aly Zaker, BSA DG Liaquat Ali Lucky, FFSB Chairman Lailun Nahar Shemi, Badal Rahman's son Abhishek Rahman and FFSB General Secretary and Moviyana Film Society Chairman Belayet Hossain were present at a memorial session for the filmmaker.

Rahman was the director of the first full-length feature film for children in Bangladesh, “Emiler Goenda Bahini” (1980). Till his demise, he was the president of the Federation of Film Societies of Bangladesh (FFSB).

Born on June 4, 1949, Badal Rahman completed his diploma in Film Editing from National Film and Television Institute of India, widely known as Pune Film Institute. He was amongst the first Bangladeshis to earn a film-related degree. After returning to Bangladesh, he, along with Syed Salahuddin Zaki, made his first film “Prottashar Shurjo” in 1974.

Rahman was actively involved with the film society movement in Bangladesh from its beginning. He also served as the president of FFSB from 1986 to '90. He was the convenor of the present movement to establish the national film policy. “Self Portrait” and “Shilpir Shilpo” are amongst his other notable films.