TAREQUE MASUD MEMORIAL TRUST
I founded the Tareque Masud Memorial Trust (TMMT) in 2012 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tareque's legacy and the causes he believed in. As Chairperson of the Trust, I have overseen a number of projects and initiatives including arts festivals, film competitions, public art memorials, documentary productions, film screening programs and releases, advocacy campaigns, book and DVD publications, and archival projects.
ARTS FESTIVALS
From 2013 to 2016, TMMT organized the Tareque Masud Festival, a multi-disciplinary arts festival featuring photo exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, book launches, and other events. The festival, held at the national cultural venue Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, drew thousands of attendees over its 4-year run.
FILM COMPETITIONS
TMMT has also organized several editions of the Tareque Masud Short Film Competition, featuring short works (<10 minutes) by young makers between the ages of 18 and 25. The top 3 winners have received cash awards as well as scholarships to study film at the Pathshala South Asian Media Institute.
TAREQUE MASUD MEMORIAL LECTURE
Every year from 2013, TMMT in collaboration with Moviana Film Society has organized the Tareque Masud Memorial Lecture featuring a well-known cultural figure or academic to speak on a topic related to cinema. Past speakers include Satyajit Ray Film Institute Professor Biren Das Sharma (late), writer and Prothom Alo Newspaper Editor Sajjad Sharif, and filmmaker Akram Khan.
PUBLICATIONS
Since its inception, TMMT in collaboration with leading publishers has brought out a series of books and DVDs. The books include collected writings, speeches, and interviews of Tareque Masud. Among the DVDs is a collector's addition of Tareque's first film ADAM SUROT, a documentary on the painter S.M. Sultan, packaged with a digital archive of Sultan's paintings and audio monologues, along with a special booklet of writings on Sultan's work. All of these publications are valuable resources for teaching and scholarship. TMMT also has a YouTube channel.
ROAD SAFETY MEMORIAL
In 2014 TMMT, in collaboration with Dhaka University and Brac Bank Ltd. established the Road Safety Memorial to commemorate the thousands of victims of road crashes. The centerpiece of the memorial is a sculpture by artist Dhali Al Mamoon reconstructed from the wreckage of the vehicle involved in the 2011 crash that killed Tareque Masud, Mishuk Munier, and 3 other members of our film unit. This memorial has become a centerpiece for activism around road safety issues as well as a public landmark.
DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTIONS
Since 2012, TMMT has produced a number of documentary films, either independently or in partnership with others. A day-long journey and interview with Tareque Masud in 2009 became the basis for Proshoon Rahmaan’s FERA (Return Journey), produced by TMMT in 2012. Catherine Masud and Dina Hossain collaborated in 2014 to produce SRITIKOTHA RUNWAY (Remembering Runway), a behind-the-scenes look at the production of RUNWAY and a tribute to Tareque and Mishuk. Also in 2014 Catherine completed the music video KANAR HAAT BAZAAR (Bazaar of the Blind) under the TMMT banner. In addition, TMMT has produced a number of advocacy videos for different organizations including the United Nations Development Program, the World Bank, and the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST).
SCREENING PROGRAMS
Since its inception in 2012, TMMT has organized hundreds of screening programs around Bangladesh, featuring films by Tareque Masud & Catherine Masud. Often these programs are organized in collaboration with local film societies, student organizations and cultural groups. These screenings follow the tradition of parallel distribution established through the independent 'short' film movement of which Tareque was a founding member and leader. In addition, TMMT orchestrated the Dhaka release of the Masuds' last feature film, RUNWAY.
ARCHIVAL PROJECTS
True to its mission as an agency of memory and preservation, TMMT has undertaken a number of archival projects since its inception. One of the first of these was a major project to archive all of Tareque Masud’s papers, writings, film materials, and digital media files. Many of these materials were later used as resources for book publications and other purposes. TMMT also engaged in a five-year long oral history/archiving project in collaboration with the Bangladesh Government, the Friends of Bangladesh, as well as an intensive archival project that was the basis for the Adam Surot Collector’s Edition DVD. Future plans include the establishment of a Museum and Library/Research Center at the site of Tareque Masud's ancestral home in Faridpur.