Gold medals given to recipients of of National Film Award — the highest recognition for outstanding works in country’s film industry — are rusting and chipping.
The defective medals raise the question whether they are made of gold.
Renowned cinematographer Mahfuzur Rahman expressed dissatisfaction as all of his medals show rusting.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I was honored and that’s enough for,” he told Bangla Tribune.
“The authorities concerned should be more careful to avoid this in future”, said a disappointed Rahman, who won the award for a record 10 times.
Gold medals of prominent lyricist, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman, a four-time winner, are also reported to be rusting, his family told Bangla Tribune.
Like Rahman’s the gold medals of Rafiquzzaman have become rusty too, family members told Bangla Tribune.
Director Sheikh Niamat Ali won the National Film Award for his films ‘Dohon’, ‘Surjo Dighal Bari’ and ‘Anno Jibon’.
Ali was given gold trophies for the first and the second films and a gold medal for the third time in 1995.
The trophies are in mint condition, but the medal shows rusting, according to his daughter Fahmida.
The Ministry of Information is the sole authority of the National Film Awards.
Its spokesperson Mir Akram Uddin seemed to be taken aback, when Bangla Tribune reached to him for a comment.
“The medals are made of gold and there’s no reason to get rusty,” said Akram, the senior information officer.
Additional Secretary to the information ministry Mohammad Azharul Haque described the case of rusting gold medals ‘unfortunate’.
“Tenders are floated for the gold medals. What we need to know first about the rusty medals are, which year the come from,” he told Bangla Tribune.
The ministry will get in touch with all of the award winners, including director Mahfuzur Rahman immediately, said Haque.
The next National Film Award ceremony is slated for Jul 8. Asked on the medals for this year’s award, the Haque said they have tested those from the atomic energy centre.