Balaka Cineworld

For other uses, see Balaka.

Balaka is a movie theater located in New Market, Dhaka, Bangladesh.^[1] Balaka Cineworld, one of the oldest movie theaters in the country, was closed on 20 March 2020 for COVID-19 epidemic,^[2] but reopened on 29 September 2022.^[3]

Balaka

বলাকা
Balaka in 2022
Full name	Balaka Cineworld
Address	New Market, Mirpur Road Dhaka Bangladesh
Coordinates	23°44′00″N 90°23′06″E / 23.7334149°N 90.3851189°E / 23.7334149; 90.3851189
Owner	Hasan Movies Limited
Type	Movie theater
Capacity	1011
Screens	1
Construction
Opened	27 August 1951 (1951-08-27)
Closed	20 March 2020 (2020-03-20)
Reopened	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)

History

 

Balaka in 1975

Balaka Cineworld was established by MA Hasan^[2] in Dacca, the capital of East Bengal on 27 August 1951, five years after the establishment of the Dominion of Pakistan.^[4] After Hasan's death in the 1970s, the movie theater was owned and operated by his heirs.^[2] In 1985, a branch theater of Balaka Cineworld, Balaka-2, was established. Balaka was first modernized in 2001. In 2015, the second Balaka was closed due to lack of customers. The digital tuning system was first introduced in the country at Balaka Cineworld.^[5] On 7 November 2019, after the death of Mohammad Hasan Ali Imam, managing director of Hasan Movies Limited, a conflict arose between his two wives and children over the ownership of the movie theater. In such a situation Mohammad Hossain, the son-in-law of the Imam's daughter, was given the responsibility of managing the movie theater. Balaka Cineworld closed on 20 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Balaka could not be opened due to monetary loss of ৳30 lakh during the lockdown and legacy issues of the movie theater.^[2]

Features

The movie theater currently has 1011 seats.^[6] Four shows are held here daily.^[5]

References

1. "৬২ বছরে পদার্পণ করল বলাকা সিনেওয়ার্ল্ড". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 30 August 2016. from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
2. "অভ্যন্তরীণ দ্বন্দ্বের বলি বলাকা". Sarabangla.net (in Bengali). 28 August 2022. from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
3. Express, The Financial. "Reopening of cinemas --- hope and hurdles". The Financial Express. from the original on 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
4. "৬৫ বছরে বলাকা সিনেওয়ার্ল্ড". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 28 August 2016. from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
5. Afin, Suhada (3 September 2016). "এখনো দর্শক ধরে রেখেছে বলাকা সিনেমা হল". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
6. "সংস্কার হচ্ছে বলাকা সিনেমা হল". Channel i (in Bengali). 19 February 2019. from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.

 

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