Shonibar Bikel


Shonibar Bikel is a Bangladesh-German co production film directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, a one shot drama is based on the Holey Artisan Bakery tragedy.The film had its world premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival 2019.

Plot

On a nice Saturday afternoon during Ramadan, citizens enjoy sleepy day time. Suddenly, a group of terrorists takes over a cafe in the city holding hostages of employees and customers. The police soon surround the building and demand negotiation and surrenders, the terrorists fortify the cafe with gas cylinders continuing their unfair tribunal. Foreigners, the disabled, women, businessmen, artists, non-Muslims, and even Muslims with different sect are subject to brutal hostility. The media streaming live news to attract more viewers doesn’t care for the safety of the hostages. Each time a hostage is executed one by one, the nightmare of violence is amplified.

Cast

In January 2019, the Film Censor Board of Bangladesh banned the theatrical release of Shonibar Bikel which portrays the July 2016 terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery as it would "damage the country's reputation". The censor board said that the film could "incite religious fervour in the Muslim-majority nation of 165 million".

Festivals