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).
Aly Zaker was a Bangladeshi actor, businessman, director and writer. He was the owner of Asiatic Marketing Communications Limited.
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.
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.
There have been numerous works of art created as a result of the Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1971, a concert was organized by members of the British rock band, The Beatles, in support of Bangladesh. The songs recorded for and broadcast on Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra are still considered to be the best of Bangladeshi protest songs.
Farida Parveen is a Bangladeshi folk singer. Referred to as "the Queen of Lalon song," she received Ekushey Padak in 1987 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Andho Prem (1993) in 1993.
Nilufar Yasmin was a Bangladeshi singer of Nazrul Sangeet, Rajanikanta Geeti, Dwijendra Geeti and Atul Prasdi genre. She was the fourth of five Yasmin sisters of Bangladesh music. Her siblings are Farida Yasmin, Fauzia Yasmin, Nazma Yasmin, and Sabina Yasmin. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2004 by the Government of Bangladesh. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her performance in the film Shuvoda (1986).
Sara Zaker is a Bangladeshi theatre and television actor, director, business entrepreneur and social activist. She was awarded Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 2017.
Asaduzzaman Mohammad Raisul Islam is a Bangladeshi freedom fighter and an actor in radio, theatre, television and film. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor four times for his roles in the films Padma Nadir Majhi (1992), Anya Jibon (1995), Dukhai (1997) and Lalsalu (2001). Besides, he won Best Supporting Actor award twice for the roles in Ghani: The Cycle (2006) and Mrittika Maya (2013). As of 2016, he acted in more than 50 films. He was a member of the Crack Platoon an elite urban guerilla, intelligence and commando unit of the Mukti Bahini.
Anwar Hossain was a Bangladeshi photographer and cinematographer. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Cinematography a record five times for the films Sundori (1979), Emiler Goenda Bahini (1980), Puraskar (1983), Anya Jibon (1995) and Lalsalu (2003).
Mohammad Nasiruddin was a Bangladeshi journalist and progressive thinker. He became an important reformer of Muslim Bengal in early 20th century and provided platform for female writers. He received Ekushey Padak in 1977 and Independence Day Award in 1984 from the Government of Bangladesh.
Abdul Quadir was a Bangladeshi poet, essayist, and journalist. He was the recipient of Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1963 and Ekushey Padak in 1976.
Rawshan Jamil was a Bangladeshi actress and dancer. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in the dance category in 1995 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Noyonmoni (1976).
Chitra Nodir Pare is a Bangladeshi Bengali directed by Tanvir Mokammel. It is a feature film on destiny of a Hindu family in East Pakistan. The film won seven national awards including the best film and the best director of the year 1999. Other awards were best Story, best Dialogue, best Art-Director, best Supporting Actress and best Make-up Man. The film was shown in London, Oslo, Fribourg (Switzerland), Singapore, Delhi, Calcutta and Trivandrum film festivals.
Lalsalu is a novel by Syed Waliullah published in 1948 by Comrade publishers. It is a classic of modern Bengali literature. Waliullah was conferred Bangla Academy Award for this debut novel in 1961. By 1981 the book's 10th edition was published.
Ashraf Siddiqui was a Bangladeshi poet, researcher, folklorist, and essayist. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1964 and Ekushey Padak in 1988 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Nodir Naam Modhumoti is a 1996 Bangladeshi Bengali language film directed by Tanvir Mokammel. It won 20th Bangladesh National Film Awards for the Best Story, Best Dialogue and Best Male Playback Singer.
Syed Salahuddin Zaki was a Bangladeshi film director, producer and film writer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue for the film Ghuddi (1980). He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2021. Zaki died in Dhaka on 18 September 2023, at the age of 77.
Jibondhuli, also known as The Drummer, is a 2014 Bangladeshi Bengali-language drama film written and directed by Tanvir Mokammel, produced under Kino-Eye Films. The film is based on the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, circulating around a lower caste Hindu dhak player. The film was set to be released in December 2013, but eventually premiered in Dhaka on February 14, 2014. Jibondhuli was also premiered at the National Art Gallery of the Shilpakala Academy on October 20, 2017, along with Pich Dhala Path and Monpura.
Rupsha Nodir Banke is a 2020 Bangladeshi biographical full-length film. This Bangladesh government-funded film is written and directed by Ekushey Padak-winning filmmaker Tanvir Mokammel. The main thrust of the film is the involvement of events in the historical life of a supporter of left-wing politics at different ages. In the political biography of the main character of the film called Manabratan Mukhopadhyay, various historical events that happened in Bangladesh from 1930 to 1971 are presented. Khairul Alam Sabuj, Tawsif Saadman Turjo and Zahid Hasan Sobhan have acted according to the age of Manabratan Mukhopadhyay.
