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I have really enjoyed my time staying in Belgium. Unlike many I have indulged lot of time in many non economical but creative activities. One of this activity is involving in making a telefilm. This was not originally my idea but a Senior brother Mr Saiful came up to me with the idea of making of a telefilm. He asked my help regarding lighting for his film. Later on I was assigned as a cameraman and editor of the film since other cameraman refused to work for free. At that time I was very busy with my Banlanews site and making lots of video presentation for web. Perhaps this has drew Saiful Vai’s attention to me.

One day I met the whole team of the telefilm. There were people mostly from Belgium-Bangla theatre (A bangla drama group) except the villain (an enthusiastic newcomer).However, our team did not have any support from Belgium-Bangla theatre but on the contrary there grew a uncomfortable relation between our team and Belgium-Bangla theatre.

The Organization:

At first the team had very ambitious but unrealistic project. Initially they planned the film for belgian viewrs with some belgian casting. They told me that they have set up a ASBL / VZW (Non profit organization) Named Daffodil Pictures Europa and asked me to be part of it. I was a bit cautious and did not join to it I just offered my help as an assistant as long as I have free time. Later they asked me to be part of the film as a partner, one of the three. I agreed. So it was like this 1) Saiful Islam : Screanplay, Direction and head of the team 2) Ashraf : Finance, arrangement and Main character of the film 3) Camera, Editing and Technical support. We have decided that Nilu (Nilima) to be heroin and Jami to be anti-character of the film. Other character will be decided in due time.

Collection of Equipment:

As an ambitious project they had a big budget in mind but I found on the contrary. First step was to buy a professional camera. They took me with them since I was responsible for the technical aspect. Then I realized the difference between the expectation and capability. Due to budget constrain and lack of proper information regarding availability of professional equipment we satisfied with a high-end consumer camera which lack professional facilities. Our lighting equipment is collected from BRICO which is more suitable for illumination of garden or open site totally not suitable for shooting. Still applying some special technique like light filter and umbrella I could adapt those for shooting. Same story for sound equipments. We bought a trolley (used for transportation of goods) to put a camera on it but we could hardly find a ground to roll it.

Before we start:

Before we start we arranged a get to gather where all the artists met to know each other. I brought the new camera and tested that day. We had small test shootings and review of script and a small feasting followed that.

First day of camera opening:

As far as I can remember we opened our camera on 06/08/2008. The first day was a bit nervous day for all of us. In the first day we had two invited guest with us. Kabir vai helped us in direction and technical aspects while Sahin Vai helped with make-up. We shooed a small sequence with satisfaction . We also attempted to shoot another sequence but we were very tired due to inexperience.

Continuous Shooting for a month:

For a month there we shooted continuously day and sometimes in the night. It became a daily routine to get up in the morning and head for shooting . The most interesting part of our work is that we travelled quite frequently to Namur, Bruge and Oostend and probably every nook and corner of Brussels. We worked as team and had a lot of fun but sometimes we had some misunderstanding over direction, and internal affairs which we overcame quite easily to let our team spirit win.

Pause in our shooting and uncertainty:

lthough my visit to Bangladesh (BD) was long due, my departure was very sudden. My departure to BD was secretly planned and nobody was aware of the fact. It was very surprising (to some shocking) to both my friends living in Belgium and friends and family back in Bangladesh. In fact, my mother cried in joy and surprise to see me in front of her eyes. Almost the same reaction from my sisters.

(Please click on the photos on each paragraph to see the album)

I am on BD airport

My extension of stay permit in September was a surprising one (Normally done in October), I decided to keep this surprise as secret and booked my ticket and organized my departure in top secret manner. To avoid careful eyes of my friends and roommates I invented a story of going to Spain visiting one of my relative living there. At the very last moment while I was sitting on the airplane seat belt fastened I phoned my friends to say good bye. Most of them were doubtful and later shocked.

I had 5 hours transit to Abu Dhabi which was boring but I forgot everything in the excitement of traveling back to my motherland after so many years. In the plane Abu Dhabi to Dhaka (capital of BD) was full of Eid returning passenger from middle east they made a lot of noise when the plane delayed extra one more hour. The service of Etihad Air was very pleasant contrary to what I heard.

When the airplane reached sky of BD I was watching in the monitor in front of me, I was thrilled with joy and could not wait to see the real image and I was looking through the window but there were thick clouds preventing me from seeing the ground. At last when the plane started dive down it penetrated the thick cloud I could at last see the aerial view of my beloved land.

Remorse for my darling, river Banshee (flute)

(Please click on the photos on each paragraph to see the album)

Panaroma of river side of Banshee

Google earth view of River Banshee

(Please click on the photos on each paragraph to see the album)

“Sotot he nod tumi poro more mone, sotot tumari kotha vabi e birole……..” as the one of our famous poet remorsed for his favorite river so do I for my darling river Banshee. Most of my childhood memories revolve around this tiny yet beautiful river. I always go back in time while I look into her but I know “time and tide wait for none”. As my footsteps disappeared along the bank of the river so do the memories of my childhood friends somewhat blurred from my brain cells.

My town was born and flourished by the grace of this lovely river but now about choke her with extreme greed and cruelty. Some land robbers are building fence around her while others throwing industrial discharge directly into her. I feel so helpless that it seems that somebody has tied up my hands and feet only to see my darling being raped.

My childhood friends

I had many friends of different social status and age. Now I can class them into three groups.

1. Intellectual group:

(Please click on the photos on each paragraph to see the album)

they were good students with good financial background used to compete each other for better results. Now they are well established in their careers or in the process to be. Now they are competing each other for better social status. To them career and plan is always important which I sometime find boring and capitalistic.

2. Teachers group:

They are from lower middle class family but improved their condition considerably. Middle class value is in core of their characteristic which sometimes becomes dogma which impedes their further progress. I feel comfortable with this group since they value me as a person but not what I do.

3. “Hay-hutash” (people who always see the glass is half empty rather than half full) group:

Normally from a poor or uneducated family and they themselves are also dropped off early from school in order to become a bread winner. In spite of their early start they could not progress in their career so “hay-hutash” or regret and envy is parts and parcel of their life. They value people based on amount of money they have or earn. They are most spoiled group occasionally addicted in drugs. In spite of their some negative quality they are not complicated. They say what they believe (actually lack of family support, poor background and lack of education made them vulnerable to aggressive capitalistic campaign). I know the root cause of their backwardness therefore, I have good sympathy for them and they respect me for this. Despite some occasional misunderstanding I feel comfortable with them.

I have communicated with all of these groups and spent fair amount time with them. They have accepted me very warmly even those persons with whom I had small problems. Many of my friends are married and children of their own which has changed their habit and routine which I find very normal.

Read the rest of “My Exciting visit to Bangladesh” »