Mahenaz Chowdhury’s short documentary ‘Once There Were Rivers’ was screened at the Independent University of Bangladesh’s Lecture Gallery premise on Saturday.
Organised by IUB’s Green Planet Club, the screening event featured panelists from IUB’s Department of Environmental Science and Management, who discussed questions by the students on a future with clean rivers.
Dr K Ayaz Rabbani, Head, Department of Environmental Science and Management, shared how the film had taken him on a journey that connects the essence of rivers, like Shitalkshya, with the people whose lives depend on it through a different lens.
Dr Abdul Khaleque, Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Management, emphasised why this film is a sign of hope that the new generation leaders and activists acknowledge the seriousness of environmental issues and is taking measures to a new height.
Md Ekhtekharul Islam, Senior Lecturer, IUB Department of Environmental Science and Management and IUB Green Planet Club coordinator, shared telling examples of how everyone on an individual level has to be aware of their environmental impact.
The knowledge exchange between panelists and students reflected future courses of actions that must be taken collectively to create impact. Further, it was discussed that there are excellent conservation and regulatory policies deployed by the Government but are not being implemented effectively.
“Once There Were Rivers” screened at IUB
In closing, Mahenaz Chowdhury, the filmmaker, added, “Sustainability has been embedded in our roots for centuries. However, due the recent influx of social media and the need to consume is rapidly leading us to catastrophic conditions through unplanned urbanisation and irresponsible industrialisation.”
“That is where consumers play a major role in demanding for change and adopting sustainable practices, in asking questions about what brands reflect my personal values, what do brands do to treat their wastewater, are the raw materials our clothes made from ethically sourced, are the workers aware of their rights?” Chowdhury added.
‘Once there were rivers’ was produced by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh for their Pop Up Festival in celebration of their 60 years in Bangladesh.
The film was created and directed by Dhaka-based Mahenaz Chowdhury, founder and zero-waste designer of Broqué, the first upcycled high-end streetwear fashion lab in Bangladesh, in collaboration with Berlin-based Simone Simonato, founder of SICA Upcycling Design.
Earlier, it was screened at Sonargaon, Narayanganj district on Thursday, November 18.
The cinematographer and production partner was Emad B M Hassan, with supporting materials from Goopy Bagha Productions Limited and Johann Angerman
Source: United News of Bangladesh