Zakir Hossain Raju (Bengali: জাকির হোসেন রাজু) is a Bangladeshi academic, film critic and filmmaker. He currently serves as a member of the Bangladesh Film Certification Board, Director of the King Sejong Institute, & Head of the Media and Communication department at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).[3][4][5] He also served as NETPAC jury chair for the Asian cinema category at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.[6][7]

Zakir Hossain Raju
PhD
জাকির হোসেন রাজু
Raju in 2023 at IUB
Born1970
Dhaka, Bangladesh
NationalityBangladeshi
CitizenshipBangladesh, Australia
Occupation(s)Academic, Professor, Filmmaker
Known for
  • Bangladesh Cinema and National Identity In Search of the Modern? (Book)[1]
  • Michiler Mukh (Documentary)[2]
Board member ofBangladesh Film Certification Board, Curriculum Advisory board of Wawasan Open University, Bangladesh Short Film Forum
SpouseNusrat Disha
Academic background
Alma materDhaka University, La Trobe University
Academic work
DisciplineAsian film scholar
InstitutionsIndependent University, Bangladesh, King Sejong Institute, Transparency International Bangladesh, Ford Foundation, University of Malaya, NETPAC, Bangladesh Short Film Forum

Early life and academic career

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Raju was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mass Communication from the University of Dhaka. Later, he earned his Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from La Trobe University in Australia.[8] Throughout his academic career, Raju has held various positions, including Research Fellow at Transparency International Bangladesh in 2005, Ford Foundation, ASIA Fellow at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur in 2007, and Curriculum Advisor for Wawasan Open University in Malaysia from 2011 to 2012.[9][10][11] Currently, he teaches at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).

Publications

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Raju is recognized as an academic of Bangladeshi screen industries.[12][13] His publications have appeared in respected journals and anthologies like South Asian Journal, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Arts Criticism (Chinese-language journal published by Beijing Art Academy), Cinemaya: Asian Film Journal, Bangladesh Film Archive Journal, Journal of Chinese Cinemas and The Journal of Press Institute of Bangladesh.[14]

Books

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In English

In Bengali

  • Ganamadhame Muktijuddo Published by Jagrity Prokashoni[17]
  • Chalachitrar Chalchitra Published by Jagrity Prokashoni[18]

Articles

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  • Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Duke University Press, 2012[19]
  • Significance of News Elements the Journal of Press Institute of Bangladesh, PIB, (74): 36-37, 1996
  • The Emergence of Bangladesh, Palgrave Macmillan, 2022[20]
  • Indigenization of Cinema in (Post)Colonial South Asia, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 32 (3): 611–621, 2012[21]
  • Identity and Sovereignty in Asian Art CinemaArt and Sovereignty in Global Politics, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 217–238, 2017[22]
  • Multiple Islams, multiple modernities Islam and Popular Culture in Indonesia and Malaysia, Routledge, 2011[23]

Filmography

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Raju has been involved in the scripting, production, and direction of various short films and documentaries. His film Michiler Mukh (1991), a documentary on 1990 Mass Uprising in Bangladesh, after the recent Non-cooperation movement (2024) a group of like-minded young filmmakers, students organized an open screening of the film alongside My Bicycle, banned by the Censor Board of Bangladesh directed by Aung Rakhine.[24] In 1992, this film got selected in Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival.[25] Beyond the Borders (1995) a documentary on the Bengali diaspora, got selected in Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival.[26] Additionally, Raju and Piplu Khan as producers, are currently engaged in the development of a film project titled Summer in Shizuoka, Winter in Dhaka.[27]

Year Title Director Screenwriter Producer Notes
1991 Face in the Millions (Michiler Mukh) Yes Yes Yes Documentary film portraying the 1990s popular upheaval against military autocracy in Bangladesh.[28]
1992 Miles to Go Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on the perception of ordinary people about political process amid the 1991 elections under the first non-party caretaker government.
1993 Tale of a Woman Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on how women are leading social transformation in rural Bangladesh.
1995 Beyond the Borders Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on intercultural Bangladeshi-Japanese families in Japan and Bangladesh.
1996 Images under the Shadows Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on media and gender in Bangladesh.
1998 Beijing Conference and Women in Bangladesh Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on the impact of the 1995 Women's Conference in Beijing on women's movement in Bangladesh.
2023 Summer in Shizuoka, Winter in Dhaka Yes Yes Yes This Documentary film currently in Development.[29]

Involvement in film organizations and festivals

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Raju serves as a board member of NETPAC along with Golam Rabbany Biplob from Bangladesh and was appointed as the NETPAC jury chair for the Asian cinema category at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.[30][31] Raju currently serves as Vice President of the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh and is a former president of the Bangladesh Short Film Forum.[32] In addition, Raju has been invited as a jury president and member in various international film festivals, including the Hawaii International Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.[33][34][35]

References

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  1. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (17 December 2014). Bangladesh Cinema and National Identity: In Search of the Modern? (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 242. ISBN 978-1-317-60181-4. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Aung Rakhine's banned Chakma film 'My Bicycle' premieres". The Daily Star. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Board of King Sejong Institute, Dhaka". directory.iub.edu.bd. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh Film Certification Board launched, censor abolished". Prothomalo. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  5. ^ "IUB launches Window on Korea and King Sejong Institute". The Daily Star. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema | Netpac Members". Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Dr Zakir Hossain Raju". School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Zakir Hossain Raju". Festival des Cinémas d'Asie de Vesoul. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  9. ^ "BULLETIN BOARD". The Daily Star. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Taking a look at Bangladesh cinema down the years". The Daily Star. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Zakir Hossain Raju represents SA". bangladeshpost.net. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  12. ^ Press Release (25 Sep 2024). "Prof Dr Zakir Hossain Raju appointed to Bangladesh Film Certification Board". Dhaka Tribune. Kazi Anis Ahmed. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  13. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (2012). Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East (2012). Duke University Press. doi:10.1215/1089201X-1891606. S2CID 144789365. Retrieved 20 September 2023.}
  14. ^ Raju, Z. H. (1996). "Significance of News Elements". The Journal of Press Institute of Bangladesh, PIB (74): 36-37.
  15. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (2004). "National Cinema, Cultural Identity and Public Sphere: Rewriting Bangladesh Film History". La Trobe University. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  16. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (17 December 2014). Bangladesh Cinema and National Identity: In Search of the Modern?. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-60181-4. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  17. ^ "গণমাধ্যমে মুক্তিযুদ্ধ (হার্ডকভার) by জাকির হোসেন রাজু". rokomari.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  18. ^ "চলচ্চিত্রের চালচিত্র". www.prothoma.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  19. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (1 December 2012). "Indigenization of Cinema in (Post)Colonial South Asia: From Transnational to Vernacular Public Spheres". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 32 (3): 611–621. doi:10.1215/1089201X-1891606. S2CID 144789365.
  20. ^ Khondker, Habibul; Muurlink, Olav; Ali, Asif Bin (18 March 2022). The Emergence of Bangladesh. Palgrave Macmillan. p. xix. ISBN 978-981-16-5520-3.
  21. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (1 December 2012). "Indigenization of Cinema in (Post)Colonial South Asia". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 32 (3): 611–621. doi:10.1215/1089201X-1891606.
  22. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (2017). Identity and Sovereignty in Asian Art Cinema. Palgrave Macmillan US. pp. 217–238. doi:10.1057/978-1-349-95016-4_9. ISBN 978-1-349-95015-7.
  23. ^ Raju, Zakir Hossain (2011). Weintraub, Andrew N. (ed.). Multiple Islams, multiple modernities, Islam and Popular Culture in Indonesia and Malaysia. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203829004. ISBN 9780203829004. S2CID 142722115.
  24. ^ "Aung Rakhine's banned Chakma film 'My Bicycle' premieres". The Daily Star. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  25. ^ "1992 (2nd) | アジアフォーカス・福岡国際映画祭 アーカイブ : Focus on Asia International Film Festival Fukuoka ARCHIVE". www.focus-on-asia.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  26. ^ "YIDFF: Past Festivals: '95: Screening List". www.yidff.jp. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Zakir Hossain Raju". MUBI. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  28. ^ "1992 (2nd) | アジアフォーカス・福岡国際映画祭 アーカイブ : Focus on Asia International Film Festival Fukuoka ARCHIVE". www.focus-on-asia.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  29. ^ "Developing Category – Dhaka DocLab". dhakadoclab.org/. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Zakir Hossain joins Venice Film Fest as a jury chair". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  31. ^ "Bangladeshi film scholar Raju hands award to Japanese filmmaker in Venice". The Daily Star. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  32. ^ "art & culture". 17 January 2006. Archived from the original on 17 January 2006. Retrieved 18 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  33. ^ Kamal, Md Ashequl Morsalin Ibne; Saha, Niloy; Hossain, Jobayer. "Farooki, Raju becomes Jury members at 24th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF)". Dhaka Courier. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Zakir Hossain Raju named Netpac jury for Asian Cinema at Venice Film Festival". The Daily Star. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  35. ^ "Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema | Netpac Members". Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
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