Mymensingh's prominent Purobi Cinema Hall, a nostalgic relic of the city's golden age of film, is now being torn down. The demolition is already in progress, and according to the hall's management, the site will soon be repurposed into a market.

Once upon a time, Mymensingh was home to five bustling cinema halls: Ajanta, Chhayabani, Alaka, Purobi, and the Sena Auditorium. Over the years, that number dwindled. Chayabani and Purobi were the last ones standing, but with Purobi now making way for commercial space, Chayabani will soon be the only survivor.

The Purobi hall was established shortly after the country's independence, marking a vibrant era for Bangladeshi cinema in the heart of Mymensingh. Originally owned by Zamir Uddin, the hall changed ownership in 2002 following a tragic event—a bomb attack orchestrated by a militant group. Abbas Uddin, who took over after the incident, had been running the hall since.

Kazi Delwar, the manager of Purobi, confirmed the demolition in a recent conversation with Prothom Alo, stating, "We started dismantling the hall last month. There are plans to build a market here, with hopes of a cineplex on the ground floor. But that could take four or five years to materialise."

While there are plans for a future cineplex, the loss of Purobi is undoubtedly a bittersweet moment for Mymensingh residents, many of whom spent decades watching films there.

However, the reasons behind the hall being demolished just before Eid-ul-Fitr, when several major films are slated for release, are raising concerns. According to Delwar, the initial plan was to wait until after Eid-ul-Azha to start the demolition. 

"However, the higher-ups decided to start earlier. As employees, we follow the owner's decision," he said. Delwar was unable to clarify why the timeline was accelerated.

A grim memory of 2002

The demolition of Purobi brings back chilling memories of December 7, 2002, when four cinema halls in Mymensingh—Chayabani, Ajanta, Alaka, and Purobi—were targeted in a coordinated bomb attack by the banned militant group JMB. The blasts claimed the lives of 17 innocent people, including women and children, and left more than 200 injured.

Since then, the city has struggled to revive its cinema culture, as one hall after another has closed its doors.

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