India and Bangladesh have taken several measures to bring the people of the two countries closer.
India has eased the tourist visa norms making it easy for the people of Bangladesh who are above 65 years of age to get a tourist visa.
The duration of the tourist visa has been increased from one year to five years and will be having multiple entry facility for the people of Bangladesh who are above 65 years of age.
This makes sense considering many tourists from Bangladesh come to India for leisure and pleasure.
Not just this! Indian and Bangladesh nationals would be delighted to know that during the meeting between Indian Minister for Information and Broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu, and Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, it was decided that the two nations would jointly produce a documentary on the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971! Archival material available with Films Division, DD and other media outlets of India would be optimally utilized.
India and Bangladesh join hands for a movie on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
India will also help in the production of the Mega Movie by Bangladesh which is being made to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020.
AIR would also be launching an exclusive service for Bangladesh and Bengali diaspora titled “Akashvani Maitree” on 23rd August 2016 and this would be launched by the President of India.
A Film Festival of India in Bangladesh and a Bangladesh Film Festival in India is on the cards.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has agreed to the request of providing a celluloid version of the classic film Devdas directed by Pramatesh Barua, the Bengali version produced in 1935.
Bangladesh has earlier provided the DVD version of the film to NFAI. On Free Film Trade between the two nations, Bangladesh may consider relaxing the legal provisions which restricted the number of Indian films in that country.
India meanwhile has offered to train the young filmmakers and entrepreneurs from Bangladesh at the Indian Film and Training Institutes, in short, young and talented Bangladesh filmmakers will get to try their luck in a formidable space. Collaborative measures may be initiated between NFDC and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation to promote the joint production of films and also between NFAI and Bangladesh Film Archives for digitization and archiving.
India and Bangladesh are deliberating on the promotion of capacity building and training workshops for media persons, exchange program for officers associated with Information and Broadcasting and exchange of programs between DD and its counterpart in Bangladesh.
Do read: Bangladesh accounts for highest share of tourist arrivals
