'Enact law to stop vulgar films, piracy of local movies'

They demanded immediate measures against video piracy of locally produced films, illegal projection of newly produced films by cable operators and showing of indecent videos in rural areas.

They also demanded formulation of a Video Act, a Video Piracy Prevention Act, amendment of the Copyright Act and easy import of 'good foreign films'.

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Organising secretary of Bangladesh Motion Picture Exhibitors Association Abdur Rahman presided over the rally, held on Monday. It was addressed by, among others, the association president Saiful Islam Choudhury, vice-president Sudipta Kumar Roy, general secretary Mirza Abdul Khaleque, cultural secretary Mia Alauddin, Asif Khan Rabi, Afrauzzaman Khan Chowdhury and Shah Alam.

Many cinema owners from the 16 northern districts attended at the rally.

The rally over, they brought out a procession in the city and handed over memoranda to the Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi.

Later, at a press conference they association leaders alleged that the movement against vulgar films slowed down after the present government came to power.

It is not difficult for the government to control production of vulgar films as it owns two of the four as out of the four film-developing laboratories in the country, they said.

They also questioned the effectiveness of the Censure Board.