STAR Cineplex
STAR Cineplex is a Bangladeshi multiplex cinema chain owned by Show Motion Limited.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
STAR Cineplex is a Bangladeshi movie-theater brand operated by Show Motion Limited. Established on 9 October 2004 at Bashundhara City in Dhaka, it became one of the country’s first modern multiplex cinema operators and helped introduce a more contemporary cinema-going format to Bangladesh. Its original complex combined multiple digital screens with 3D projection capability, silver screens, Dolby Digital sound, stadium seating, a large lobby, and concession facilities offering popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream, and other refreshments. The brand initially concentrated on Dhaka, where its first location had six screens and approximately 1,600 seats. It later expanded through shopping centers and other prominent urban developments. A second cineplex opened at Shimanto Shambhar in January 2019, followed by a third at SKS Tower in Mohakhali in October of the same year. The network added a Mirpur location at Sony Square in August 2021 and a smaller venue at the Bangladesh Military Museum in April 2022. The museum branch was described as having an advanced sound system and 183 seats. STAR Cineplex began expanding beyond the capital in late 2022. Its first location outside Dhaka opened at Bali Arcade in Chattogram on 2 December 2022, and a second out-of-Dhaka branch opened at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi on 13 January 2023. The Rajshahi venue subsequently remained closed indefinitely after the July Uprising. The chain later opened a venue at Centrepoint mall in Uttara during Eid-ul-Fitr 2025. Reference material also identifies operating venues in Chattogram, Narayanganj, and several Dhaka neighborhoods, as well as sites under construction in Bogura and Shariatpur. The brand’s core business is theatrical exhibition: screening Bangladeshi and international films in multiplex venues, selling tickets, and operating cinema concessions. Its positioning is based on modern audiovisual equipment, comfortable seating, centralized urban locations, and a premium multiplex experience. STAR Cineplex has also become a visible part of Bangladesh’s popular culture and public conversation, including a 2022 dispute over dress-related access at its Sony Square branch. After public criticism and online protests, the company apologized and permitted the affected customer to watch the film with his family.
History
STAR Cineplex was founded on 9 October 2004 at Bashundhara City in Dhaka by Show Motion Limited. Its launch marked an important development in Bangladesh’s commercial cinema sector, which had historically been associated more with traditional single-screen theaters than with the integrated multiplex model. The original STAR Cineplex facility offered six fully digital screens, 3D projection technology, silver screens, Dolby Digital sound, stadium seating, and approximately 1,600 seats. A large lobby and concession operation complemented the film program. The chain’s early identity was built around modern technical presentation and a more comfortable, standardized movie-going environment. Its venues were located in major commercial developments, allowing the business to combine cinema exhibition with the wider shopping-center and entertainment ecosystem. Food and beverage sales, including popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream, and related concessions, formed part of the customer experience. Expansion accelerated in the late 2010s. STAR Cineplex opened its second venue at Shimanto Shambhar in January 2019 and its third at SKS Tower in Mohakhali in October 2019. In August 2021, it added a fourth venue at Sony Square in Mirpur. The Bangladesh Military Museum branch followed in April 2022. That location was smaller than the original complex, with 183 seats, but was described as having a state-of-the-art sound system. The company then pursued a broader national footprint. Bali Arcade in Chattogram became the chain’s first location outside Dhaka when it opened on 2 December 2022. On 13 January 2023, STAR Cineplex opened another regional venue at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi. The Rajshahi branch later remained closed indefinitely after the July Uprising. Reference material lists additional functional locations in Chattogram and Narayanganj, while identifying projects under construction in Bogura and Shariatpur. In Dhaka, the network includes venues at Bashundhara Shopping Complex, Shimanto Shambhar, the Bangladesh Military Museum, SKS Tower, Sony Square, and Centrepoint in Uttara. The Uttara branch opened during Eid-ul-Fitr 2025. The chain has also faced public scrutiny over customer-access and service practices. In August 2022, it was accused of refusing to sell a ticket at Sony Square to Saman Ali Sarkar, a senior citizen wearing a lungi. The incident became widely discussed online and led to protest visits by people wearing lungis. STAR Cineplex apologized on 4 August, and Sarkar was subsequently allowed to watch Poran with his family. The episode highlighted the reputational sensitivity of dress and access policies for a mass-market entertainment brand. Today, STAR Cineplex remains a Bangladesh-focused cinema exhibition brand. Its business centers on operating multiplexes, showing local and international films, providing digital and 3D presentations where available, and supporting screenings with concessions and venue services. Its expansion history reflects the growth of multiplex entertainment in Bangladesh and the increasing integration of cinemas into shopping malls, cultural sites, and new urban developments.
- 2025
Uttara venue opened
[1]The chain opened its Centrepoint mall branch in Uttara during Eid-ul-Fitr.
- 2023
Rajshahi venue opened
[1]A branch opened at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi on 13 January; the location later remained closed indefinitely after the July Uprising.
- 2022
Bangladesh Military Museum branch opened
[1]A 183-seat venue with an advanced sound system opened at the Bangladesh Military Museum in April.
- 2022
First branch outside Dhaka opened
[1]The Bali Arcade venue in Chattogram opened on 2 December, marking the chain’s first expansion outside the capital.
- 2021
Mirpur venue opened
[1]A fourth cineplex opened at Sony Square in Mirpur in August.
- 2019
Second and third venues opened
[1]The chain opened a second location at Shimanto Shambhar in January and a third at SKS Tower in Mohakhali in October.
- 2004
First STAR Cineplex opened in Dhaka
[1]STAR Cineplex launched on 9 October at Bashundhara City with six digital screens, 3D projection capability, Dolby Digital sound, stadium seating, and approximately 1,600 seats.
Products and positioning
A modern Bangladeshi multiplex chain emphasizing digital projection, 3D capability, enhanced sound, stadium seating, urban shopping-center locations, and a full-service cinema experience.
Cinema exhibition · 2004
Multiplex cinema screenings
STAR Cineplex’s principal offering is admission to films shown across multi-screen venues in Bangladesh. Its program includes Bangladeshi and international cinema, presented in purpose-built theaters located in major commercial, cultural, and urban developments.
Cinema technology · 2004
Digital and 3D presentation
The original complex introduced fully digital screens and state-of-the-art 3D projection technology. The brand also uses silver screens and Dolby Digital sound as part of its enhanced audiovisual positioning, although exact equipment may vary by branch.
Food and beverage · 2004
Cinema concessions
Cinema venues include concession operations serving items such as popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream, and other refreshments. These concessions support the chain’s full-service multiplex experience and complement ticketed film screenings.
Controversies
2022
Lungi access controversy at Sony Square
STAR Cineplex was accused of refusing to sell a ticket for Poran to senior citizen Saman Ali Sarkar because he was wearing a lungi. The incident spread online, generated public outrage, and led to protest attendance by people wearing lungis. The company apologized on 4 August, and Sarkar was allowed to attend the film with his family.
Brand decisions
2023
Further regional expansion in RajshahiStrategyBackground
Following its first Chattogram branch, STAR Cineplex continued its national expansion.
Action taken
The company opened a venue at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi on 13 January.
Aftermath
The Rajshahi venue later remained closed indefinitely after the July Uprising.
2022
Expansion beyond DhakaStrategyBackground
The chain sought to extend its multiplex model to major Bangladeshi cities beyond the capital.
Action taken
STAR Cineplex opened its Bali Arcade branch in Chattogram on 2 December.
Aftermath
The opening marked the brand’s first branch outside Dhaka and was followed by a Rajshahi opening in January 2023.
2019
Accelerated expansion through additional urban venuesStrategyBackground
After operating its original Dhaka venue, STAR Cineplex expanded its footprint with locations at Shimanto Shambhar and SKS Tower.
Action taken
The company opened the Shimanto Shambhar branch in January and the SKS Tower branch in October.
Aftermath
The openings established a broader Dhaka network and preceded further expansion in Mirpur, at the Bangladesh Military Museum, and outside the capital.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/star-cineplex · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled