‘Omimangshito’ set to Release after Ban

After months of controversy and delays, Raihan Rafi’s thriller Omimangshito has finally been cleared for release by the Bangladesh Film Certification Board.

The green light follows a major change in government and the reconstitution of the censor board.

The board had previously banned the film over its alleged resemblance to a real-life murder case.

Omimangshito had drawn intense scrutiny earlier in 2025 for what many believed was a fictional retelling of the still-unsolved 2012 murders.

The cold case involved the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

Originally set to premiere on OTT platform iScreen on February 29, 2025, Omimangshito was pulled just days before its scheduled release.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had intervened, instructing the filmmakers to submit the project for formal censorship.

The board found the content too disturbing for public screening, citing violent imagery and similarities with an ongoing court case.

Officials did not name the Sagar-Runi case at the time.

However, a senior board member later admitted that the connection raised significant legal and ethical concerns.

The decision sparked heated discussions in media circles about whether web films should be held to the same standards as theatrical releases.

Starring Imtiaz Barshan and Tanzika Amin, the teaser had debuted in February with cryptic questions:

“Who killed Arnab and Niru? Who are the masked men?”

It fuelled speculation that it mirrored a story too close to reality.

But with the new board in place, the film received a second review.

Certification Board Vice-Chairman Mohammad Abdul Jalil confirmed that Omimangshito had been approved following an official appeal by the filmmakers.

Raihan Rafi, whose previous works include Poramon 2, Damal, and Surongo, insisted that the story is entirely fictional.

He previously stated that the narrative aims to explore broader themes of systemic silence and unaddressed violence, not a single case.

Despite the certification, the film’s release remains undecided.

Rafi said: “We haven’t fixed a date yet.”

Rafael Mahbub, iScreen’s project head, echoed that statement, noting that the platform still intends to host the film but is waiting on final confirmation.

The film is now one of 94 projects certified in the last 10 months by the board.

The board also cleared 38 Bangla films, 29 English-language titles, 12 shorts, and 15 documentaries.

For many, the approval of Omimangshito marks a shift in the creative boundaries in Bangladesh’s entertainment industry.