A large number of video shops are now visible in the city of Dhaka. At present, each locality of Dhaka city has a good number of video shops. These video shops provide mainly of three types of video films l.e. in Bengali. Hindi and English. The owners of these shops rent out their films to the video movies viewers and thus earn handsome amount of money by running this video cassettes business. Video shops, in addition to Dhaka, are also frequently found in other towns and areas.

In Bangladesh, video was first introduced about a decade ago. Only a handful of the rich people of our society could avail themselves of video for entertainment in the beginning. Gradually, with the decrease in price of VCR set our most middle class families began purchasing VCR sets to watch films through it, sitting comfortably in their respective houses. Apart from entertainment, keeping a VCR set in the house has now become very necessary for a well decorated drawing room. On the other hand, the famiHes that do not own VCR sets are sometimes looked down upon by their relatives.

Let us try to understand what kind of movies are enjoyed through VCR. I have already mentioned three types of video movies which are now available in the existing video shops tn the country. For the last few years, we are observing that some Bengali weeklies have been printing the names of the latest video films in their weekly issues for the choice of video films viewers. These weeklies are collecting the names of movies from the prestigious and well-known video shops of the Dhaka city namely Video Valley". Video Connection", "Film Fair Video", etc. But it is a matter of great concern for us to see the names of such printed in these cassettes such as "Eleven Days Eleven Nights". "Lonely Lady", The Naked Cell", "Bolero", and "My Tutor", "Summer Treat", "Kiss the Night", "Caligula and Rasaluna", "Doctors' Wives', Stroke of Midnight", Blind Vision," The Object of Beauty", "Savage Sisters", "Women's Mobile Van", and so on. These are movies are bound to demoralize our youth. The named of such types of movies are still seen in the pages of the weeklies. Besides, almost many English films have some exciting aspects which are also harmful for the younger generation. Now a question arises as to how these adult movies video cassettes enter our country, and subsequently the video shops, and then these are then rented out to the video movies .viewers. Another question is. are the video shops owners entitled to keep adult movies in the shops and rent them at will to one and sundry? The above questions need answering on the part of the appropriate authority entrusted with the responsibility of supervision of video shops in the country.

I feel pained when I come across a room where parents, along with their young sons and daughters, enjoy a Hindi film whose most scenes re- main full of objectionable images. Truly speaking, it is beneath the dignity of parents to watch such questionable films together with their children. Moreover, in most cases, boys enjoy adult movies through VCR in the residence without the knowledge of their par ents, and thus are gradually spoilt In the growing stage of .their lives which is lamentable.

What is the use of keeping a VCR set in the house? It needs to be thought seriously to save our youth from possible ruination. It is an open secret that exhibition of blue films is often encouraged in many places in the country by a section of people. They carry this illegal business under the very nose of the authorities. To stop this illegal and anti-social activities, in the name of entertainment, is the pressing need of the country. Our social atmosphere must be kept free from all types of questionable video cassettes business. We should follow our own culture and enrich It with more effects and cares, and not by blindly following western culture. We should bear In mind that western societies, inspite of making enormous progress in superior knowledge, science and technology and enjoying the taste of Improved living standard have not been able to make their lives happy, peaceful or meaningful to this day. 1 believe.

I have a suggestion regarding recreation. Keeping a TV set at the house is enough for our entertainment. There is no necessity to keep a VCR set at home despite having a TV set. To meet the thirst for entertainment of our viewers, ar: rangements may be made for showing good and would famous movies on the BTV.

Video has diverted our people from correct morality. Both our family and social structures are now, 1 fear, in some ways to a point, on the brink of collapse due to rapid expansion of video in the country. Video is corrupting our society in some ways, in various homes.

Apart from some young men, presently, even many middle aged men are seen to be fascinated with 'adult' movies through VCR which is regrettable. Generally speaking, our present generation is •being understand, seduced by the video.

Now the question comes as to how many libraries are there In our country to grow a reading habit among our people? Certainly, their number is very few as against the number of video shops. 1 think, throughout the country, we need a lot of libraries with a view to giving our people the opportunity of getting information about culture, art, religion, philosophy, science and other fields of knowledge. We can get a truly civilized nation by means of setting up more libraries in the country, and not by the expansion of video shops which is doing much harm to our nation than do any good. I have a question here to the readers what type of an how much entertainment do we need? It is time has come to think seriously.

It is high time that concerned authorities conducted an enquiry into the existing video shops, and check all the adult movies ones and thereby curtail the boom of video shops In the country.