The Film Industry Protection Council (F1PC) called off strike as Information Minister Tariqul Islam gave the green light to its 12-point demand, including framing of an anti-video piracy law, at a meeting on Thursday.

"The minister agreed with us and promised to help us meet the demand,” said Ashrafuddin Ahmed Uzzal, general secretary of the FIPC.

The FIPC members believe that if the government takes steps to turn the charter of demands into reality, the film Industry will regain strength.

"TheTk 100 crore industry failed to attract audience and generate more Income because of government policy." Uzzal said.

The FIPC suggested that the law on video piracy be included in the intellectual property act and prescribe five years in jail orTk 5 lakh in fines for video and CD piracy and screening of pirated films on cable television.

The home minister and the inspector general of police will be responsible for the deployment of law enforcers to trace illegal videos and CDs after the law is passed.

The second point of demand is an updated censor code to match the modern taste of the audience. The FIPC will submit a draft of amended censor code In the second week of April to the information ministry that will pass the code in two months since the submission ofthedraft.

A sample of censor code will be submitted In three days to the information ministry to meet the

contemporary need of commercial cinemas demanded by film directors and permission from the information ministry for the directors to make commercial movies based on the modern censor code.

The third and fourth points are to prepare a regulatory act for screening Bangla films on terrestrial and satellite television. The minister assured the FIPC of framing regulation in two months.

The fifth point is the demand for an end to the operation of foreign channels that are not suitable to the Bengali culture.

The ministry will try to increase

more facilities for the film industry as it approves the sixth point.

The seventh point is to stop imported foreign unclean films from abroad to be dealt with by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCl) along with the commerce ministry.

The eighth point is to include the president of Bangladesh Producers and Distributors Association in the censor board -■ the demand accepted by the minister.

The ninth point is to provide funds for cinema hall renovations, and the 10th point is to give subsidy

to cinema halls on peak-hour electricity rates. FBCCl President Abdul Awal Mintu promised he would talk to the power minister on the issue. The 11th point asks for making good films tax-free.

The 12th point Is to establish a film institute. The government already decided to establish a film institute inside the Information Complex that will be constructed in Agargaon.

Initiatives will be taken to start a course on film at Dhaka University.

"This lime we have a timeframe from the ministry that will help us reach ourgoal," Uzzal said.