World Cup screenings fill Bogura cinema hall as film audiences dwindle

Madhuban Cineplex, Bogura's largest and most modern cinema hall, has turned to screening FIFA World Cup matches as regular film audiences dwindle. The 345-seat venue saw around 150 people buy tickets for the final match, a stark contrast to the seven viewers who attended an afternoon film screening.

“

We saw strong audience turnout during the World Cup. But with the tournament ending today, we fear our previous losses will return.

"We saw strong audience turnout during the World Cup. But with the tournament ending today, we fear our previous losses will return," said Madhuban Cineplex Managing Director SM Yunus. He noted that the cinema hall now runs only one show a day, attracting just five to seven viewers.

“

The 345-seat cinema hall now runs only one show a day, yet it attracts just five to seven viewers.

Yunus attributed the decline to difficulties in importing foreign films and a lack of appealing Bangladeshi movies. This situation worsened after the third week of the movie “Rockstar” last Eid. The cineplex incurs monthly operating costs of Tk three-four lakh, including salaries for 10 to 14 staff members.

“

We cannot import foreign movies due to various complications. On the other hand, there are currently no good Bangladeshi movies that can attract the audience.

"Due to this decline in audience, an estimated loss of over Tk 1 lakh is occurring every month," Yunus added. The financial strain forced the cineplex to close for five months last year, and even operating it as a community center did not prevent losses. The cinema hall, which began its journey in 1974, was renovated and modernized between 2017 and 2022 at a cost of nearly Tk four crore, but this investment has yet to be recovered.

“

Due to this decline in audience, an estimated loss of over Tk 1 lakh is occurring every month.