‘Thikana Bangladesh’ unveils first poster, begins release campaign

Image: Collected

The first poster of Thikana Bangladesh, director Anam Biswas' upcoming film inspired by the story of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team during Bangladesh's Liberation War, was unveiled on Friday (July 25), officially launching the film's promotional campaign.

The poster was released on a date chosen for its historical significance. On July 25, 1971, the Swadhin Bangla Football Team played against the Nadia Football XI in India, becoming the first Bangladeshi football team to compete abroad under the red-and-green flag. The match is remembered as a landmark moment of the Liberation War, symbolising both sporting achievement and efforts to build international support for Bangladesh's independence. That legacy serves as the foundation of Thikana Bangladesh.

The newly released poster features the statue of a footballer overlooking a flood-hit landscape in war-ravaged Bangladesh, with fighter aircraft flying overhead and the national flag prominently displayed beside it. The visual reflects football's role as a symbol of resistance during the Liberation War.

The government-funded project, which received a grant in the 2019–20 fiscal year, stars Arifin Shuvoo, Nusraat Faria, Rezwan Parvez, Khairul Basar, Irfan Sajjad, Azad Abul Kalam and Shatabdi Wadud in key roles.

Announcing the poster on Facebook, Anam Biswas said the film is now close to completion despite facing numerous obstacles during production.

"After weathering many storms, Thikana Bangladesh is almost complete. So, on July 25, we are beginning our conversation with the audience. It was on this very day in 1971 that the story of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team began through a blood-stirring football match. For the first time, the red-and-green flag flew beyond the country's borders. Let our conversation begin on this historic day," he wrote.

The filmmaker also said the team intends to release the film later this year and has started its promotional activities in phases as part of that plan.

More than a war drama, Thikana Bangladesh portrays how the Swadhin Bangla Football Team used football to inspire patriotism and generate international support for Bangladesh's struggle for independence. After years of anticipation, the film is expected to bring this chapter of the nation's history to the big screen later this year.

Source: The Daily Star