Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s film “Roid” has been selected as Bangladesh’s official submission in the International Feature Film category for the 99th Academy Awards.
The decision was announced Sunday, September 27, at a “Meet the Press” event held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. Dr Mohammad Zahirul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies (BFFS) and chairman of the Oscar Bangladesh Committee, announced the selection.
Four Films Remained in Contention
Five films had initially been submitted for consideration by the September 16 deadline: Redoan Rony’s “Domm,” Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s “Roid,” Nurul Alam Atique’s “Manusher Bagan,” Mohammad Touqir Islam’s “Delupi,” and Monirul Akash Haque’s “The University of Chankharpul.”
“Manusher Bagan” later voluntarily withdrew from the competition, leaving four films in contention. Following its review and evaluation, the Oscar Bangladesh Committee unanimously selected “Roid” as the country’s official submission.
Committee Members
The selection committee was chaired by Dr Zahirul Islam. Its members included Sajjad Sharif, Shaheen Dil-Riaz, Rashed Zaman, Saiyid Shahzada Al Kareem and Shahrin Akter Sumi, according to the announcement.
The Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies congratulated the film’s director, producer, cast and crew following the selection and said it hoped the film would represent Bangladesh’s film industry and cultural identity on the international stage.
Sumon’s Second Feature Film
“Roid” is Sumon’s second feature film after “Hawa” (2022), which was previously selected as Bangladesh’s submission to the Academy Awards. The film has also been screened internationally, including in the Tiger Competition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
The 2026 film is a Bengali-language drama centered on Sadhu, his wife and their isolated life in a rural setting, with a palm tree and its fruit becoming recurring elements in the story.
