The Bangla Academy is the official regulatory body of the Bengali language in Bangladesh. It is an autonomous institution funded by the Government of Bangladesh that fosters the Bengali language, literature and culture, works to develop and implement national language policy and conducts original research in Bengali. Established in 1955, it is located in the Burdwan House in Shahbagh, Dhaka, within the grounds of the University of Dhaka and Suhrawardy Udyan. The Bangla Academy hosts the annual Ekushey Book Fair.
Hasan Azizul Huq was a Bangladeshi short-story writer and novelist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1999, Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1970 and Independence Award in 2019.
The Cinema of Bangladesh is a diverse and vibrant entity, consisting of films produced across various regions, each contributing its unique linguistic and cultural perspective. Beyond the dominant Dhaka based Bengali-language film industry Dhallywood', which is a portmanteau of "Dhaka" and "Hollywood", Bangladesh is home to cinema in several other languages and dialects. For instance, Chakma cinema from Bandarban, Garo cinema from Sherpur, Meitei and Sylheti cinema from Sylhet, Chatgaiya cinema from Chattogram. These regional cinemas play a crucial role in preserving and promoting the linguistic and cultural heritage of the country. The dominant style of Bangladeshi cinema is melodramatic cinema, which developed from 1947 to 1990 and characterizes most films to this day. Cinema was introduced in Bangladesh in 1898 by the Bradford Bioscope Company, credited to have arranged the first film release in Bangladesh. Between 1913 and 1914, the first production company, Picture House, was opened. A 1928 short silent film titled Sukumari was the first Bengali-produced film in the region. The first full-length film, The Last Kiss, was released in 1931.
Syed Shamsul Haq was a Bangladeshi writer. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1966, Ekushey Padak in 1984 and Independence Day Award in 2000 by the Government of Bangladesh for his contributions to Bangla literature. His notable works include "Payer Awaj Pawa Jai", "Nishiddho Loban", "Khelaram Khele Ja", "Neel Dongshon" and "Mrigoya".
Rahat Khan was a Bangladeshi journalist and litterateur. He wrote more than 32 novels. He won Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1973 and Ekushey Padak in 1996 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Selina Hossain is a Bangladeshi novelist and the current president of Bangla Academy since February 2022. Her major works include Hangor Nodi Grenade (1976) and Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti (1996). She earned all major national awards – Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1980, Ekushey Padak in 2009 and Independence Day Award in 2018. Her novels and short stories have been translated into English, Russian, French, Japanese, Korean, Finnish and Malay. She served as the chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy from 2014 until 2018.
Abdullah Al Mamun was a Bangladeshi playwright, actor, and filmmaker. He earned the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1978 and the Ekushey Padak in 2000 from the Government of Bangladesh. As a filmmaker, he won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Director twice for the direction of the films Ekhoni Somoy (1980) and Dui Jibon (1988).
Andrew Kishore Kumar Baroi was a Bangladeshi playback singer. He is considered as the "Playback King" of Bangladesh music industry who sang more than 15 thousands songs. He sang for more than 100 Bangladeshi films. He was also one of the judges of 2013 Bangladeshi Idol.
Sadik Mohammed Symon, popularly known as Symon Sadik, is a Bangladeshi film actor, assistant director, lyricist, model and politician. His films are predominantly in Dhallywood cinema. He made his debut in as a lead role in the Bangladeshi film Ji Hujur (2012) and he won Bioscope Borsho-Sera Awards for Best acting in Poramon (2013). He also won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Jannat (2018).
Gazi Mazharul Anwar was a Bangladeshi film director, producer, lyricist, screenwriter and music director. He earned the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Lyricist a record seven times for the films Tit for Tat (1992), Ajante (1996), Churiwala (2001), Lal Dariya (2002), Kokhono Megh Kokhono Brishti (2003), Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe (2016) and Joiboti Konyar Mon (2021). He worked as a lyricist in the "Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra". He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2002 and Independence Day Award in 2021 by the government of Bangladesh. He has penned lyrics for 267 films.
Akbar Hossain Pathan Dulu, known by the stage name Farooque, was a Bangladeshi actor, politician, businessman and producer. He was known as 'Mia Bhai' to mass people. He appeared in over 150 films in a career spanning more than five decades. Most of his films were commercially and critically successful. Farooque was one of the most recognizable stars of the classical and golden era of Bangladeshi film industry.
Dhaka Attack is a Bangladeshi police action thriller film produced by Bangladesh Police Paribar Kallyan Samity Ltd., Three Wheelers Ltd. and Splash Multimedia. It features Arifin Shuvoo, Mahiya Mahi, ABM Sumon and Taskeen Rahman in lead roles. It was directed by Dipankar Dipon and written by Sunny Sanwar. The film was distributed by The Abhi Kathachitra and Swapna Scarecrow. The film won the "Best Film" award in 42nd Bangladesh National Film Awards.
Masud Pathik is a Bangladeshi filmmaker, poet and lyricist. His feature films Nekabborer Mohaproyan (2014) won seven and Maya: The Lost Mother (2019) won eight Bangladesh National Film Awards. Individually, he won the Best Lyrics and Best Story awards. For his poetry, he won the 2013 HSBC Kali O Kalam award for his poem Ekaki Jomin. He won 2023 Bangla Academy Literary Award in the playwright category.
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury is a Bengali poet and a member of the Bangladesh Civil Service. Currently he is the adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh. He was the Chief Coordinator of the National Implementation Committee for the Celebration of Mujib Borsho, the Birth Centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. He is a former Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq is a Bangladeshi writer, essayist, translator, critic, columnist and activist. He is a former professor of Bengali language and literature at the University of Dhaka. He is the convener of Rashtrabhasha Bangla Rokkha Komiti. He received Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1981.
Arun Roy is a Bangladeshi Cinematographer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Cinematography three times for the films Bodhu Biday (1978), Johnny (1983) and Bhaijan (1983).
Moner Moto Manush Pailam Na is a 2019 Bangladeshi drama film written and directed by Jakir Hossain Raju. It features Shakib Khan and Shabnom Bubly in the lead roles. Misha Sawdagor, Fakhrul Bashar Masum, Saberi Alam, Don and others played supporting roles. It is produced by Enamul Haque Arman under the banner of Desh Bangla Multimedia. The film soundtrack is composed by Shafiq Tuhin.
Hayre Manush Rangin Phanush is a National Award-winning song from the 1982 Bangladeshi film Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo. The song written by veteran poet Syed Shamsul Haque, composed by Alam Khan and sung by Andrew Kishore. Anwar Hossain and Prabir Mitra performed in the song.
Abdur Rashid Khan was a Bangladeshi writer, teacher, essayist and poet. He received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1977 for his Bengali poetry.
"Huliya" is a Bengali-language Bangladeshi poem written by Nirmalendu Goon. It is included in his poetry book Premangshur Rokto Chai. Goon wrote it especially for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh. It has 80 rhythmic lines. The poem described the events in East Pakistan during the 1969 Mass uprising.
