Mokammel reacts sharply at ban of his documentary Karnaphulir Kanna

Dhaka August 21 (BDNEWS) - The film maker Tanvir Mokammel Sunday reacted sharply at the ban of his documentary Karbaphulir Kanna saying nothing objectionable in it.

"There is nothing objectionable in my film. The contents have been already been written in different books, articles and research works. There is a problem in CHT and we should accept the fact," he told BDNEWS

The hour-long film depicted the after effects of construction of the Kaptai dam on CHT people.

The government Saturday banned Tanvir Mokammel's documentary film "Karnaphulir Kanna," for what it said depicting objectionable messages against the interests of the country as well as its people.

A handout said, "the film has been banned as per Criminal Procedure Code Act 99(A) for depicting objectionable messages against the interests of the country as well as its people."

All the copies of the film have been confiscated and its screening, sale, distribution and preservation prohibited in the country as the objectionable comments made in the film threaten the social and political harmony in the country, it added.

"The film has been made with interviews of both Bangalees and the indigenous people. I don't think there is anything in the film which is untrue," Mokammel said.

"Besides, in this age of digital technology, it is senseless to ban a film. Lot of people has that film in DVD, CD or in their computers in all different forms. This kind of colonial mentality to ban a film will serve nobody's purpose," he said.

Meanwhile, Rupayan Dewan, a top leader of Parbatya Chattagram Janasanghati Samity (PCJSS), also a leader of Adivasi Forum, condemned the ban of the film.

"The movie illustrated the real lives of CHT people. Nothing exaggerated has been showed in the film," he said adding, " By banning the documentary, the government again proved its unwillingness to solve the CHT issue."

BDNEWS/1542 hrs