Govt to Fast-Track Film Archive Digitisation for Heritage Preservation

The government has launched a major initiative to fast-track the digitisation of the Bangladesh Film Archive (BFA) within the shortest possible timeframe. 

According to M. Javed Iqbal, Director General of the archive, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued specific directives to prioritize and accelerate the preservation of the nation’s cinematic heritage.

Addressing the current logistical hurdles, Iqbal noted that challenges regarding limited storage capacity, a shortage of scanners, and restoration constraints are being actively resolved. 

Currently, the digital laboratory relies on a single high-resolution film scanner to convert an extensive collection of 16mm and 35mm films. 

“With only one scanner, completing the digitisation of the entire collection is time-consuming,” Iqbal said, adding that the government is in discussions to procure additional scanners and upgrade storage systems to speed up the processing of feature films, short films, documentaries, and newsreels.

The technical complexity of the task was highlighted by Sub-Assistant Engineer Mohammad Rashedul Alam Gazi, who explained that digitisation often reveals dust and noise artefacts in older films. 

These issues are addressed in a specialized restoration lab using AI-based software known as “Diamant.” 

Gazi stated that the software is used to remove "dust, scratches, grain, instability and shaking," which significantly improves picture quality. 

However, the process remains meticulous; restoring a single full-length film requires 15 to 20 working days, meaning one restoration unit currently processes only one feature film per month.

The digitised materials are currently kept on servers and hard drives, but the archive is planning a transition to cloud storage. This gradual data migration is intended to ensure content is preserved as technology evolves.

The scale of the preservation effort is immense. 

Established in 1978, the archive has collected 1,014 Bangladeshi feature films, 10 Indian films, 100 English films, and 215 Chinese films, alongside 135 short films, 3,421 documentaries, and 2,126 newsreels. 

While 1,188 audiovisual materials have been digitised since July 2012—including 179 feature and short films—many items are still awaiting examination, including a fresh batch of 16mm newsreels recently received from Bangladesh Television.

The Bangladesh Film Archive, which operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, remains the primary guardian of the country’s film history and this new push for infrastructure strengthening aims to ensure those valuable old films are moved into modern digital formats for long-term survival.