Runa Laila is a Bangladeshi playback singer and composer. She started her career in Pakistan film industry in the late 1960s. Her style of singing is inspired by Pakistani playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and she also made a pair with him after replacing another singer Mala. Her playback singing in films – The Rain (1976), Jadur Banshi (1977), Accident (1989), Ontore Ontore (1994), Devdas (2013) and Priya Tumi Shukhi Hou (2014) - earned her seven Bangladesh National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer. She won the Best Music Composer award for the film Ekti Cinemar Golpo (2018).
The Bangla Academy is an autonomous institution funded by the Bangladesh government that fosters the Bengali language, literature and culture, works to develop and implement national language policy and to do original research in the Bengali language. Established in 1955, it is located in 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.
Abdullah Abu Sayeed is a Bangladeshi educator, writer, television presenter, and activist. He is the founder and chairman of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra, a non-profit organization that promotes the study of literature, reading habits and progressive ideas.
Munier Choudhury was a Bangladeshi educationist, playwright, literary critic and political dissident. He was a victim of the mass killing of Bangladeshi intellectuals in 1971. He was awarded Independence Day Award in 1980, by the then president Ziaur Rahman's government, posthumously.
Syed Waliullah was a Bangladeshi novelist, short-story writer and playwright. He was notable for his debut novel, Lalsalu. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award (1961), Adamjee Prize (1965), Ekushey Padak (1984) and Bangladesh National Film for Best Story (2001).
Bangladeshi cinema, Bangla cinema, or Bengali cinema, better known as Dhallywood, is the Bengali-language film industry based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The popular term "Dhallywood" is a portmanteau of "Dhaka" and "Hollywood". It has often been a significant film industry since the early 1970s. 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".
Abul Fazal was a Bangladeshi writer and academic. He served as the 4th vice-chancellor of University of Chittagong. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1962 and Independence Day Award in 2012 (posthumously).
Rabeya Khatun was a Bangladeshi novelist. She wrote over 50 novels and more than 400 short stories. Her works also include essays, research, religious history and travelogues. She was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1973, Ekushey Padak in 1993 and Independence Day Award in 2017 by the Government of Bangladesh.
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).
Afroza Sultana Ratna is a Bangladeshi film actress. She earned a total of ten Bangladesh National Film Awards. Her national film award-winning roles were in Janani (1977), Sokhi Tumi Kar (1980), Dui Poisar Alta (1982), Nazma (1983), Bhat De (1984), Apeksha (1987), Ranga Bhabi (1989), Moroner Pore (1990) and Achena (1991). Across her three-decade-long career, she appeared in 299 films. She co-starred with Alamgir in 130 of them. In 1981, Shabana attended the 12th Moscow International Film Festival where she met actress Natalya Belokhvostikova. Shabana starred in the film Bhat De for which she received the National Film Award as Best Actress in 1984 and attended the Cannes Film Festival. Shabana served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and helped with vaccination campaigns against polio in Bangladesh in 1988 and 1989. She was photographed with fellow UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador actress, Audrey Hepburn, in 1989. In July 2017, Shabana was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Prime Minister for her contribution as an actress to the Bangladeshi Film Industry.
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.
Laila Hasan is a Bangladeshi choreographer, dancer and actress. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2010 for her contribution to art by the Government of Bangladesh.
Anwar Parvez was a Bangladeshi music composer and music director. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2007 by the Government of Bangladesh. He composed about 2,000 songs and worked as a music director in about 200 feature films.
Musammat Hosne Ara Sharifa Begum was known by the stage name Sultana Zaman. She was a Bangladeshi film actress and producer. In 2009, she was given Bangladesh National Film Award for Lifetime Achievement — the first since the award's inception in 1975.
Alauddin Ali was a Bangladeshi music composer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Music Director five times for the films Golapi Ekhon Traine (1978), Sundori (1979), Koshai (1980), Jogajog (1988) and Lakhe Ekta (1990). He won the Best Music Composer award for the film Laal Doriya (2002) and the Best Lyrics award for Premik (1985). Moreover, he won the Ifad Film Club Award and the Bachsas Award in the category of Best Music Director. He directed music for more than 300 films.
Salma Begum Sujata, known mononymously as Sujata, is a retired Bangladeshi film actress. She is best known for her role in Rupban (1965) as Rupban Konna. She was awarded Bangladesh National Film Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017 and Ekushey Padak in 2021.
Goriber Bou is a 1990 Bangladeshi social-drama film directed by Kamal Ahmed. Renowned film actress Shabana produced the film her own banner S.S. Productions. The film stars Alamgir, Shabana, Manna, Aruna Biswas leading role and more.
Sareng Bou is a 1978 Bangladeshi film directed by Abdullah Al Mamun. The story is based on the novel of the same name by Shahidullah Kaiser. The film received critical acclaim, particularly for the performance given by Kabori Sarwar, who won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress.
National Information and Communication Technology Awards is the only state and highest prize in the Information and Communication Technology sector of Bangladesh. The award is being given since 2017.
