Bangladeshi lyricist and journalist Al Mahmud Manjur, widely known by his pen name Mahmud Manjur, is currently serving as a jury member at two international film festivals almost simultaneously: the New York Bangla Film Festival 2025 in the US and the 6th Bogura International Film Festival 2026 in Bangladesh.
Speaking about the dual responsibility, Manjur described the experience as “heavy but beautiful,” highlighting the challenge of evaluating films fairly while remaining neutral. “Every filmmaker puts their soul into their work. But a juror must judge based on cinematic language, storytelling, technical quality and cultural impact,” he said.
At the New York Bangla Film Festival, Manjur is part of the preliminary jury, tasked with selecting films that will move forward to the main competition. He stressed the importance of ensuring both quality and diversity, noting that the festival offers a platform for Bangladeshi voices on a global stage.
In Bogura, he will judge the International Short Film category, marking his second consecutive year with the festival. “Bogura festival has been growing steadily, sustaining an international standard outside Dhaka,” he said.
Manjur, who has written over 150 songs and several albums, recently launched Mamageet, a music production platform blending his lyrics with AI technology to create Bangla and English songs, a first-of-its-kind experiment in Bangladesh.
He is also the author of ‘Geetijibon’, a research-driven book documenting the lives of 12 legendary Bangladeshi lyricists. “My goal is to preserve their struggles, creativity and silent sacrifices,” he said.
Reflecting on his international jury roles, Manjur described the recognition as a testament to his long journey in art and culture, adding, “More than personal achievement, it is an opportunity to represent Bangladeshi cultural perspectives on global platforms. That is the real honour.”
