The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is considering a review of the recently announced National Film Awards 2023 following widespread controversy over the published list.
The move comes after allegations that the jury’s recommendations were not fully reflected in certain categories, particularly the Lifetime Achievement Award and Best Screenplay. Ministry sources indicate that verbal discussions with members of the jury have already begun, with a formal review expected to start shortly.
Concerns emerged after the notification was released, including claims that the Best Screenplay award was granted to an individual who had not authored the screenplay for the film ‘Roktojoba’. In addition, the Lifetime Achievement Award nominations included film director Tareq Masud (died 13 August 2011) and cinematographer-director Abdul Latif Bachchu (died 4 January 2026), despite regulations stipulating that only living individuals are eligible. Reports suggest that the jury had recommended actresses Shabnam and Ilias Javed for the award.
Maksud Jamil Mintu, a member of the National Film Awards committee, said that the judges had reached consensus on the results, with no disagreements in other categories. However, he noted that the published notification did not fully reflect the judges’ decisions in some cases and emphasised that the integrity of the awards requires that the notification accurately represent the jury’s verdict.
Jury member Nazmun Munira Nancy echoed these concerns, observing that the judges’ opinions had been overlooked in certain instances. She stressed that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the National Film Awards remain transparent and free from controversy, adding that she is prepared to assist with the review if requested.
Sources involved in the awards process explained that, under normal rules, the jury recommends the highest-scoring candidate in each category as the main awardee, with the second-highest scorer listed as an alternate.
Typically, only the main candidate is declared the winner, although joint awards may be granted in exceptional cases. It is understood that the current controversy arose because this standard procedure was not followed.
Ministry officials confirmed that the review will focus on the Lifetime Achievement Award and several other categories to ensure that the final results correctly reflect the jury’s scoring.
The jury board was reconstituted on September 15, 2024 to evaluate films for the 2023 awards. The judges completed their screenings in the last week of February 2025 and submitted their recommendations on March 4, 2025. However, the official notification was only published on January 29, 2026, nearly 11 months later.
Following allegations of procedural violations and disregard for the jury’s recommendations, the Ministry has now initiated a review, with the aim of releasing a transparent and uncontested final list.
