Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Director

National Film Award for Best Director (Bengali: জাতীয় চলচ্চিত্র পুরস্কার) is the highest award for film directors in Bangladesh, presented annually at Bangladesh National Film Awards ceremony by the Ministry of Information. It is given in honour of a film director who has exhibited excellence directing in Bangladeshi cinema. Since 1975, the award is given annually except in 1981, 1998 and 2003. It is presented by the President of Bangladesh at a ceremony held in Dhaka.

National Film Award for Best Director
The 2022 recipient: Rubaiyat Hossain
Awarded for	Excellence in cinematic achievements for Bangladeshi cinema
Sponsored by	Government of Bangladesh
Location	Dhaka
Country	Bangladesh
Presented by	Ministry of Information
First award	1975 (1st)
Final award	2022 (47th)
Currently held by	Rubaiyat Hossain
Highlights
Most awards	A. J. Mintu (4 awards)
First winner	Narayan Ghosh Mita (1975)
Website	moi.gov.bd

The 1st National Film Awards ceremony was held in 1976, and Narayan Ghosh Mita was the first awardee of this category for directing the film Lathial (1975).^[1]

Since its inception, a total of 43 awards have been given to 32 directors. A. J. Mintu has received the most awards in this category with four, following Sheikh Niamat Ali three times. 2017 best director, producer & Screenplay writer Reazul Rezu. As of the 2023 ceremony, Rubaiyat Hossain is the recent winner in this category for the film Shimu (2022).

List of winners

Sheikh Niamat Ali has the second most Best Director wins with three, winning in 1979, 1985, and 1995.

Abdullah al Mamun won two awards in this category for Ekhoni Somoy and Dui Jibon.

Key

Table key

indicates a joint award for that year

‡ Indicates the winner of Best Film

List of award recipients, showing the year and film(s)

Year[a]	Recipient(s)	Work(s)	Ref
1975 (1st)	Narayan Ghosh Mita	Lathial †	[2][1]
1976 (2nd)	Harunur Rashid	Megher Onek Rong †	[3][4]
1977 (3rd)	Subhash Dutta	Bosundhora †	[5][6]
1978 (4th)	Amjad Hossain	Golapi Ekhon Traine †	[5]
1979 (5th) †	Sheikh Niamat Ali	Surjo Dighol Bari †	[7]
1979 (5th) †	Masihuddin Shaker
1980 (6th)	Abdullah al Mamun	Ekhoni Somoy	[8]
1981	No Award		[8]
1982 (7th)	Mohiuddin Ahmad	Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo	[8]
1983 (8th)	Kamal Ahmed	Lalu Bhulu	[9]
1984 (9th)	Amjad Hossain	Bhat De †	[10]
1985 (10th)	Sheikh Niamat Ali	Dahan	[10]
1986 (11th)	Chashi Nazrul Islam	Shuvoda †	[11]
1987 (12th)	A. J. Mintu	Lalu Mastan	[11]
1988 (13th)	Abdullah al Mamun	Dui Jibon †	[12]
1989 (14th)	A. J. Mintu	Satya Mithya	[12]
1990 (15th)	Kamal Ahmed	Goriber Bou †	[13]
1991 (16th)	A. J. Mintu	Pita Mata Santan	[13]
1992 (17th)	Motin Rahman	Andha Biswas	[14]
1993 (18th)	A. J. Mintu	Banglar Bodhu	[15]
1994 (19th)	Kazi Hayat	Desh Premik †	[15]
1995 (20th)	Sheikh Niamat Ali	Anya Jibon †	[16]
1996 (21st)	Akhtaruzzaman	Poka Makorer Ghor Bosoti †	[17]
1997 (22nd)	Chashi Nazrul Islam	Hangor Nodi Grenade	[17]
1998 (23nd)	Not Given		[18]
1999 (24th)	Tanvir Mokammel	Chitra Nodir Pare †	[18]
2000 (25th)	Abu Sayeed	Kittonkhola †	[19]
2001 (26th)	Tanvir Mokammel	Lalsalu †	[19]
2002 (27th)	Kazi Hayat	Itihas	[20]
2003 (28th)	Not Given		[18]
2004 (29th)	Tauquir Ahmed	Joyjatra †	[21][22]
2005 (30th)	Kohinur Akter Suchanda	Hajar Bachhor Dhore †	[21][22]
2006 (31st)	Kazi Morshed	Ghani	[23][22]
2007 (32nd)	Enamul Karim Nirjhar	Aha!	[23][22][24]
2008 (33rd)	Murad Parvez	Chandragrohon †	[25]
2009 (34th)	Syed Wahiduzzaman Diamond	Gangajatra	[25]
2010 (35th)	Khalid Mahmud Mithu	Gohine Shobdo †	[26][27]
2011 (36th)	Nasiruddin Yousuff	Guerrilla †	[28][29]
2012 (37th)	Humayun Ahmed	Ghetuputra Komola	[30][31]
2013 (38th)	Gazi Rakayet	Mrittika Maya †	[32][33]
2014 (39th)	Zahidur Rahman Anjan	Meghmallar	[34][35]
2015 (40th) †	Reazul Mawla Rezu	Bapjaner Bioscope †	[2][36]
2015 (40th) †	Morshedul Islam	Anil Bagchir Ekdin †
2016 (41st)	Amitabh Reza Chowdhury	Aynabaji	[37][38]
2017 (42nd)	Badrul Anam Saud	Gohin Baluchor	[39][40]
2018 (43rd)	Mostafizur Rahman Manik	Jannat	[39][40]
2019 (44th)	Taneem Rahman Angshu	No Dorai	[41]
2020 (45th)	Gazi Rakayet	Gor (The Grave)
2021 (46th)	Rezwan Shahriar Sumit	Nonajoler Kabbo
2022 (47th)	Rubaiyat Hossain	Shimu	[42]

Multiple wins

The following individuals have won multiple Best Director awards:

Wins	Director
4	A. J. Mintu
3	Sheikh Niamat Ali
2	Abdullah al Mamun
	Amjad Hossain
	Chashi Nazrul Islam
	Kamal Ahmed
	Kazi Hayat
	Tanvir Mokammel
	Gazi Rakayet

Diversity of nominees/winners

Female nominees/winners

Shuchanda is a solo winner of this category in the 30th Bangladesh National Film Awards for the film Hajar Bachhor Dhore.

See also

• Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Film

Notes

1. Denotes The year in which the film was censored by Bangladesh Film Censor Board.