Govt to review National Film Awards 2023 after questions over jury recommendations

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is considering a review of the gazette announcing the National Film Awards 2023 after allegations surfaced that the jury’s recommendations were not fully reflected in the final list.

Ministry sources said officials have already begun contacting members of the jury board, and a formal review process may begin soon. The move comes after questions were raised about several categories, including the lifetime achievement award and best screenplay.

One key issue concerns the lifetime achievement category. The gazette lists two recipients—acclaimed filmmaker Tareque Masud, who died on August 13, 2011, and cinematographer and director Abdul Latif Bachchu, who died on January 4, 2026.

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However, clause 1(b) of the National Film Awards guidelines states that the lifetime achievement honour is to be considered for living individuals. The inclusion of two deceased figures has therefore raised questions about whether the rules were followed.

Controversy also emerged over the film “Roktojoba”, after allegations that a person was awarded best screenplay despite not writing the script.

Sources involved with the awards process said the jury board had originally recommended veteran actress Shabnam and filmmaker  Ilias Javed for the lifetime achievement award.

Maksud Jamil Mintu, a member of the National Film Awards jury committee, told Prothom Alo that the judges had reached a consensus on the results during deliberations.

“We judges had agreed on the results. There was no disagreement over the lifetime achievement award or other categories. But after the gazette was published, it appeared that the jury’s decisions were not fully reflected in some cases,” he said.

“As a judge, I always expect the final gazette to reflect the jury’s verdict. A review would therefore be welcome.”

Singer and jury member Nazmun Munira Nancy also said some recommendations were overlooked.

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“After the gazette was published, we noticed that our opinions were ignored in several cases. The government has a responsibility to keep the National Film Awards transparent and free from controversy,” she said.

“If the review requires the jury to reconvene, I am willing to take part.”

Multiple sources connected to the awards process said the jury normally recommends two candidates in each category. The person receiving the highest score is listed as the primary nominee, while the second-highest scorer is proposed as an alternative.

In most cases, the highest-scoring candidate is declared the winner. Occasionally, the ministry and jury may jointly decide to award both the primary and alternative nominees. However, judges do not usually agree to exclude the top-ranked candidate when the final gazette is issued.

Sources say the current controversy stems from concerns that this procedure may not have been followed.

Officials at the ministry said the review is intended to avoid further dispute and ensure that the final list accurately reflects the jury’s scoring. The lifetime achievement category and several other awards are expected to be examined.

The jury board for the National Film Awards 2023 was reconstituted on September 15, 2024. Judges completed viewing the submitted films by the final week of February 2025 and submitted their recommendations to the ministry on March 4.

The official gazette announcing the winners was published nearly 11 months later, on January 29, 2026.

Following the allegations of rule violations and the possible disregard of jury recommendations, the ministry is now moving toward a reassessment of the awards. Officials involved say they hope the review will result in a final list that is transparent and free from controversy.