Tauquir
Ahmed's most recent film Haldaa has grabbed a slew of awards at the 8th
SAARC Film Festival. Starting with the Best Film Award, the film has
got the Best Cinematography Award, Best Editing Award and finally Best
Background Music Award. Tauquir received all the four awards on behalf
of his compatriots from Haldaa team after the awardees were announced in
Colombo on May 27. Tauquir Ahmed's another film, the one before Haldaa
also got a key award. In 2017 at the 7th SAARC Film Festival Tauquir's
film Oggatonama got the Best Screenplay Award. This year twenty-six
films were screened at the festival. No films from Afghanistan and Nepal
were screened however as a result of missing English subtitles.
Haldaa
is based on the lives of the fishermen on the banks of the river
Haldaa. Haldaa is regarded as the only natural carp breeding center in
Bangladesh and also arguably in the entire South Asia. The lives of
people living on the bank are highly dependent on this river. The film
shows the ups and downs of fishermen and how Halda is intermingled with
their life and culture. The film also reflects on the sufferings of
women in particular in the fishing community.
About the film Tauquir
says, as the lives of rivers are getting endangered day by day so is
remaining the sufferings of women even though the civilizations are
progressing. Responding to a question from an audience on the final day
of SAARC film festival Tauquir said that he initially planned to depict
the happenings of the Halda river only. Later he adjusted his screenplay
after realizing that he would not be able to draw too much attention
with just rivers and fishes. Thus he decided to incorporate the issue of
women's ups and downs through life. The film also has four-five songs,
even though are unnecessary for the plot. About this Tauquir said that
he did not want to cause financial losses for the producer. So he
decided to include some songs, and finally all these have paid off.
Apart
from him other winners from the team of Halda were Cinematographer
Enamul Sohel, Editor Amit Debnath. For background music Tauquir shared
the award with Pintu Ghosh and Sanjida Mahmuda Nandita.
