24th ‘Amar Bhashar Chalachitra’ Opens at Dhaka University
The lively courtyard of the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) at the University of Dhaka has, once again, become a haven for film lovers. On the 3rd of February 2026, Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) inaugurated “Amar Bhashar Chalachitra 1432”, its annual flagship event, for the 24th time. Anchored in the heritage of the historic Language Movement, it is still considered the largest event dedicated to cinema in Bangladesh. This year’s festival, which continues through Feb. 8, seeks to take you on a nostalgic yet forward-looking journey, as seen by some of the greatest filmmakers who have ever graced this planet and their modern-day counterparts.
Reviving the Collective Experience
The festival opened with an intense inaugural session attended by noted writer and senior film critic Moinuddin Khaled. In an age of pervasive smartphone use and OTT platforms, the desk’s organisers put forward a more consequential purpose: cinema as a social ritual was in need of revival.
“In the mechanical life of today’s city, watching films together has become very rare as a joint experience,” said Sumonto Sarkar Orpon, general secretary of DUFS. “The cinema is a social art form. Through the big screen at TSC, we aim to revive the culture of cinema halls, as they once were for Bangladeshi films.
DUFS president Rehnuma Shahreen shared this sentiment, adding that the festival also has a depth of themes. “Today’s political unrest will be reflected on the screen, while you will have thrills and a mirror to life beside you,” she said, asking students and people to return to their roots for at least a humble amount of Tk50 per ticket.
Public reaction was swift and positive, with just under 400 tickets sold on the first day of sales, indicating an appetite for original stories told for film on a large scale.
A Week of Celluloid Magic
The six-day event offers an impressive array of 19 feature films and 3 short films. THERE is something for every generation of film lover, from the golden oldies of the 1960s to today’s gritty thrillers.
Highlighting the Schedule:
Date
Featured Screenings
Feb 3
Here, Political Discussion Is Essential (Opening Film)
Feb 4
Deya Neya, Surjakanya, Chakkor 302, Tandob
Feb 5
Rupban, The Last Thakur, Joya and Shormin
Feb 6
Megher Onek Rong, Beder Meye Jyotsna, Onnodyin
Feb 7
Harmonium, Muktir Gaan, Esha Murder
Feb 8
Noyoner Alo, Dhor, The Academy of Fine Arts (Closing Film)
It will be the younger generation’s talents that the final day of the festival will also bring into focus, with screenings of three short films: Moya: The Name We Call, Burning Since Birth, and Dhyat.
In the heart of TSC, where words and melody are equally emphasised in timeless Bangla cinematic songs, “Amar Bhashar Chalachitra 1432” is a celebration of language and visuals. Here in Dhaka this week, the TSC is not merely a centre of university life — it is the pumping heart of Bengali identity.