‘Manusher Bagan’ wins Best Critics’ Award in New York

Bangladeshi cinema has added another milestone to its growing international presence, with “Manusher Bagan” winning the Best Critics’ Award at the 46th North American Bengali Conference (NABC) in New York, while three Bangladeshi films have secured official selections at the 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).

Held from July 2 to 6, the annual North American Bengali Conference brought together cultural personalities from Bangladesh and India’s West Bengal for four days of film screenings, music, theatre and literary events celebrating Bengali heritage.

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On the festival’s closing day, director Nurul Alam Atique’s “Manusher Bagan” was screened to an appreciative audience before receiving the festival’s Best Critics’ Award. The recognition adds to the film’s international success after it won the Best Film award at the 15th Delhi International Film Festival in India.

“Manusher Bagan” weaves together five interconnected stories centred on people from different walks of life. The cast includes Jyotika Jyoti, Manoj Pramanik, Orchita Sporshia, Prosun Azad, Monira Mithu and Deepanwita Martin, among others.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has achieved another significant milestone at the 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, scheduled to take place in Australia from August 13 to 23.

Three Bangladeshi films—“Roid”, directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon; “Delupi”, directed by Mohammad Touqir Islam; and “Balur Nagarite”, directed by Mahde Hasan—have been selected in the festival’s Best Film from the Subcontinent competition.

The 2026 edition marks the first time that three Bangladeshi films have been nominated simultaneously in the category. The competition also features two films from Afghanistan, two from Nepal and one from Sri Lanka.

All three Bangladeshi entries have previously been showcased at international film festivals. “Roid” and “Delupi” have already been released in local cinemas, while “Roid”, which premiered during Eid-ul-Azha, continues its theatrical run at Star Cineplex.

The latest recognitions underscore the growing visibility of Bangladeshi cinema on the international festival circuit, reflecting increasing global interest in the country’s contemporary storytelling and filmmakers.