This is the first time in recent public memory that a film festival was organized officially between Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Bangladesh Film Festival, which was held from January 5-8, included screenings of 24 films and exhibition of 83 Liberation War-based photographs at Nandan Kendra, one of the key cultural centers of the West Bengal government and Nazrul Teertha in Kolkata. Cinephiles could watch the films free of cost at the mentioned venues.

Here's an insight into The Bangladesh Liberation War or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh. This was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in what was then East Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It resulted in the independence of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The war began after the Pakistani military junta based in West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight against the people of East Pakistan on the night of 25 March 1971.

Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu inaugurated the festival on January 5 and announced that Dhaka will host a festival with films from West Bengal. “We are making a lot of changes in laws to facilitate filmmakers from both the countries to exploit the Bengali-speaking market,” he said.

"It cannot be fought only politically.... Cultural cooperation is required to fight terrorism in the whole of south Asia, including the two neighbouring countries, India and Bangladesh. The war against terrorism cannot be fought alone and the cultural society should come forward. Cinema has an immense reach and effect among the people compared to political speeches...", he added.

Among the various films that had been lined up for the festival this year were 71er Maa Jononi, Swadhinota Amar Swadhinota, Ekatorrer Gonohotya O Bangabhumi, Lal Sobujer Sur and Chiranjeeb Bangobondhu. Nasir Uddin Yousuff's Guerrilla, starring Jaya Ahsaan, was also screened, as reported by The Times of India along with another award-winning film, Bapjaner Bioscope, directed by Reazul Mawla Rezu and released in 2015, which was the inaugural film at the festival.

"Never before have we hosted such a huge exhibition of 300 photographs from the Liberation War in Kolkata," said Md Mofakkharul Iqbal, first secretary (press), deputy high commission for Bangladesh. "This is also the first time Bangladesh's ministry of information hosted a package of such an exhibition and film festival in Kolkata on this theme", he added.

There is a resemblance between the cultures of West Bengal and Bangladesh, also the language generally spoken. This made people of West Bengal relate to films from Bangladesh.

The festival was supposed to be organized in the month of December as December 16 is Vijay Diwas, which marks the surrender of Pakistani Army in 1971, but it got delayed for some reasons. As the festival was held in January, some films which weren't war-related were also added, said Md Manzurur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Admin & Film), Ministry of Information, Government of Bangladesh said.