The Bangladeshi film industry has shown signs of revival in recent Eid seasons, with multiple box office successes offering hope to a sector that has struggled for years due to the pandemic and political unrest. However, this renewed momentum is now facing a serious threat from a growing piracy crisis that industry insiders say could cripple progress if left unchecked.

For example - let's talk about Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan-starrer latest Eid release 'Taandob'. Made by popular director Raihan Rafi, the film has already grossed more than 8 crore taka. That being said - the shows, except for the Star Cineplex branches - are not getting houseful audiences as expected, because some of them have already watched it on YouTube or even Facebook.

Following the release of the Shakib Khan-starrer Eid-Ul-Fitr blockbuster 'Borbaad', director Mehedi Hasan Hridoy and producer Shahreen Akhter Sumi filed a complaint with Gulshan Police Station against piracy attempts. A similar response was observed last year when two individuals were arrested for pirating Rafi's earlier film 'Surongo', the silver screen debut of popular television actor Afran Nisho.

According to multiple sources, including the Sirajganj-based film page and cinema hall Roots CineClub, piracy networks-believed to be linked with international groups operating in India and the Middle East-are now actively targeting Bangladeshi releases.

These groups reportedly leak high-quality versions of new films within days of release, including clean hall prints within six hours, HDTS within 48 hours, and WEB-RIP or WEB-DL formats even before the films reach OTT platforms.

According to Roots CineClub, this level of piracy was previously rare due to the lack of modern theaters in Bangladesh. However, they believe this has changed, pointing to 'Borbaad' as the first clear example of a coordinated hall-print leak.

There are now suspicions that these piracy groups may have acquired ownership or influence over cinema halls, giving them direct access to projection systems. More alarmingly, producers are reportedly being extorted.

These movie pirates are allegedly demanding large sums of money from producers in exchange for not leaking a film. If refused, the films are sold to betting and gambling platforms; and according to the sources, these networks can bypass all local server protections-except DCP encryption-allowing them to make unauthorized copies from cinema servers. The HD version of 'Borbaad' that spread online was reportedly leaked through such a method.

Industry stakeholders warn that this trend could devastate local cinema. Despite films like Shakib Khan's 'Taandob', Shariful Razz-Mosharraf Karim starrer 'Insaaf', and Tanim Noor's multistarrer film 'Utshob' drawing large audiences during the ongoing Eid-Ul-Azha festive week, many others have underperformed due to leaked versions reducing theater footfall.

In response, the team behind 'Taandob' has taken a firm stance. At a press conference on June 8, director Raihan Rafi and producer Shahriar Shakil announced aggressive anti-piracy measures.

"This is not a request-piracy is a crime. Anyone posting videos from the theater will have their pages or IDs taken down," Shahriar Shakil told Dhaka Courier and other media outlets at the press conference.

He added, "We have already traced the sources of some leaks. If any single-screen halls are found responsible, we will take strict legal action. No one has the right to spoil the experience for paying audiences. Even posting short clips is piracy."

Following the complaints, three individuals - YouTuber Tipu Sultan, online portal owner Sadi Sad, alias Sagor, and cinema hall operator Sajedul Islam, were arrested on June 17, as the cyber division of the Detective Branch (DB) arrested Tipu from Noakhali, Sadi from Mymensingh, and Sajedul from Savar.

Dhaka court has granted police two days to interrogate three individuals in custody in a case linked to the distribution of pirated copies of 'Taandob'.

This was certainly a great action from the law enforcement against piracy, but this did not eliminate the risks entirely. Even though our writers, actors, filmmakers, producers and all other associates are desperately trying to bring back the glory of our cinema - many fear that their hard-earned financial success may not be sustainable if piracy continues at the current pace.

"The piracy situation is not just concerning-it's frightening," film reviewer and actor Syed Nazmus Sakib told Dhaka Courier. "We need both public awareness and immediate action from law enforcement to protect our films; otherwise, no amount of box office success will be enough to keep this industry alive."

As the industry navigates its way toward recovery, stakeholders remain hopeful that a combination of legal measures and public cooperation can help curb piracy and sustain the growing momentum in Bangladeshi cinema.