Editorial

Return of Dramatic Performance Act?

It can't be the only way to stop vulgarity in movies
We are very concerned about the comment made by the Information Minister, Tariqul Islam inside the parliament on the possibility of reinstating the Dramatic Performance Act. The act was imposed by the British in 1876, more than 110 years ago, in order to block free cultural activities and gag freedom of speech. According to the law, no one could stage a drama without prior permission from the authorities. Theatre is one of the sectors in the country's entertainment business we can be very proud of. Ever since the independence in 1971, theatre became a part of the urban lifestyle, people starved of wholesome entertainment as well as thought provoking, intelligent sources of recreation flocked to Bailey Road, the hub of theatre activities in the city.

But they had only one fear since unfortunately the law had never been abolished, it could have been enforced to impede their passion at any moment. That fear had diminished ever since the then government repealed the act in 2001after a long and hard struggle by the theatre activists. But now it seems that they might have to start afresh with their movement; at least that's how they could interpret Information Minister's comments in the House. He made it in response to a question by Jamat-e-Islami MP Delwar Hussain Saidi on the deteriorating standard of films at the moment. We want in favour of any action against vulgarism in the movies. But to do that, the thought of bringing back a law which is not only backdated, but also undemocratic.

And in any case, there is a censor board to check vulgarism, indecency in movies. If the censor board was honest, efficient and responsible, then the need to reinstate such a law does not arise in the first place. The government should take effective steps to make the censor board more active. All those years of struggle, hardship to abolish the act can't be allowed to be wasted like this. The government should realise that unless the concerned body to check vulgarism in movies get their acts right, then no law, whether it's old or new, can prevent it from spiralling.