State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Wednesday said that the government is working to make the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC) and the country's film industry as a whole self reliant, reducing their dependency on the government.

"I think no industry should depend on subsidy as the subsidy-enjoying industry always depends on the government. Therefore, we want to create an environment so that FDC and our film industry can be self reliant," he said.

The state minister said this while addressing a discussion at the FDC in the city's Tejgaon area in the afternoon, marking the National Film Day.

Film actor Ferdous Ahmed, MP, spoke at the function as the special guest with FDC Managing Director Nuzhat Yeasmin in the chair.

Arafat said there is no more stronger media than cinema to present any country with dignity in the global arena and added, "If we want to present our country with dignity before the world through cinema, we have to produce quality films."

Noting that there is the necessity to create a favorable environment to make quality films, he said, "I will try my level best to create such an environment".

Referring to Prime Minister's instruction over the development of the country's film industry, the state minister said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already given me some instructions regarding films. She directed for establishing Cineplex at the district level, which will be able to be self reliant".

He emphasized on creating a way of earning to make the film industry self reliant and said, "I myself have enthusiasm to work on Bangladeshi films. I think if we can create the environment, everything will be done automatically and we could take forward our culture through the films".

Arafat added: "We have to establish our dominance in film industry in South Asia and try to go beyond it".

Pointing out the challenges posed by technological advancement in the film industry, he said, "We have to think about converting the challenges into opportunities innovatively and create scopes to go forward".

Noted playwright M Hamid presented the keynote paper in the discussion while film director Dr Matin Rahman and Editors Guild President Abu Musa Debu spoke, among others.

Earlier, the state minister inaugurated the National Film Day programme by releasing balloons and led a rally on the FDC premises.