Staff Correspondent: Dhaka, Sept-27,

Mujib Amar Pita' (Mujib - My Father), an animated film based on the book by the same name authored by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is set to be released on her birthday September 28.

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak announced it at a press conference here yesterday.

'Mujib Amar Pita', the first 2D animated film fully developed in Bangladesh, is set to hit theaters countrywide on October 1.

Months back, its trailer hit the digital platforms, and since then the number of viewers keeps rising.

As it is shared and viewed continuously, the audience gets all the more excited about the release.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud will inaugurate the film, made by the ICT Division of the Information Ministry as part of the country's celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 50th year of the independence of Bangladesh.

There can be no better way than an animated film to pass the stories of Bangabandhu to children and youths, and there can be no better narrator than Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to speak on Bangabandhu, said Palak.

"We want to advance the animation industry, which captured a market of 300 billion US dollars. This film will be a stepping stone for drawing youths closer to animation films and the animation industry. Animation labs have been established in 40 universities under the initiative of the ICT Division to ensure a smooth entry of our students to the global animation industry," he added.

"This initiative is a part of the government's electoral pledge - Digital Bangladesh - to help the animation industry grow and develop in the country, given that most of such animation-related works witnessed a common practice of being outsourced from offshore makers. Also, it will present the exact history, eliminating the distorted version brought forth by the opposition while being in the government," said Tonmoy Ahmed, coordinator of ALBD web team.

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