First ‘complete’ feature documentary on Rohingya to be released Thursday in Dhaka

A feature documentary on the Rohingya refugee styled ‘Nigrohokal’ or ‘Long Period of Persecution’ will be released in Dhaka on Thursday.

Director Proshoon Rahmaan said he tried to give a “complete picture” of the crisis including the Bangladesh perspective, and the damages caused by having to provide them with shelter.

“We have analysed almost all the documentaries, films and audiovisual media content globally produced in the last two years. But none of them gives a complete picture of the crisis. We have tried to do that,” he said at a press briefing on Thursday.

The 84-minute documentary is produced by a research organisation, the Institute of Conflict Law and Development Studies (ICLDS).

This will be released at the Star Cineplex at the newly built Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS) Tower in Mohakhali. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is expected to be present at the inaugural screening.

The director said the film is focusing on the oppressed life and covering the present status of Rohingya community while they have completed two years in the camp and all their plights.

They have planned to screen the documentary in Shilpakala Academy in 64 districts to take it to the public. They will also send it to international festivals.

“Our intention is to create awareness among the people across the world about what is happening here. If the people become aware of the crisis, they can raise their voice in their respective countries and push the government to do more to resolve the crisis,” Executive Director Maj Gen Md Abdur Rashid said.

ICLDS directors Shyamal Dutta and Mojammel Babu were also present.

More than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to neighbouring Bangladesh following a 2017 crackdown by Myanmar's military, which UN investigators have said was executed with "genocidal intent".

Myanmar, which has a Buddhist majority, denies accusations of genocide and says its crackdown targeted militant separatists in Rakhine state.

Gambia has filed a case at the United Nations' top court, International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minority.