12/08/2026
A meaningful and visionary initiative has been undertaken at the University of Dhaka with the establishment of the 'Fazlul Haque Student Film Production Support Trust Fund' for the students of the Department of Television, Film and Photography.
The late Fazlul Haque was a distinguished film director, producer, and renowned journalist. He was the editor of the country’s first film magazine, Cinema, first published in Bogura in 1950, and the director of President (1966), widely recognized as the first children’s film produced in the territory that later became Bangladesh. He also took part in the Liberation War of 1971 and contributed to the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra by writing radio commentaries and talks during that historic struggle. His wife, Rabeya Khatun, was one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated literary figures, and their four children have each established themselves with distinction in their respective fields.
It is, therefore, especially significant that a Trust Fund bearing the name of Fazlul Haque has been created to support the creative and professional development of future generations of filmmakers and media practitioners.
Under this initiative, a select number of final-year students in the Department of Television, Film and Photography will receive partial financial support each year to produce their graduate films. This is an important step toward strengthening practice-based education and enhancing the practical filmmaking skills of our students.
For a department where hands-on production experience is essential, this initiative has the potential to make a lasting contribution to Bangladesh’s audiovisual and media industry by helping emerging filmmakers develop their creative capabilities at a crucial stage of their education.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Fazlul Haque family and to all those who have contributed to the establishment of this Trust Fund. In particular, we extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Faridur Reza Sagar, Managing Director of Channel i, son of Fazlul Haque, for his generous support and commitment to nurturing young creative talents.
Special thanks are also due to the Channel i family. We are especially grateful to Mr. Mir Attaqvi Masruruzzaman, renowned senior news editor at Channel i and a valued adjunct faculty member of our department, whose contribution has been deeply instrumental throughout this process.
We sincerely hope that this initiative will inspire and support a new generation of filmmakers, while keeping alive the rich legacy of Fazlul Haque, whose life brought together cinema, journalism, literature, and the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
