Mattra celebrates 40 years, recognises stars' contributions
Mattra celebrated its 40th anniversary with the "Luminous Stars Recognition 2025" event at Aloki Convention Centre. The ceremony honoured the individuals both in front of and behind the camera who have elevated the standard of advertising in Bangladesh.
The event served as a testament to how the strong mutual understanding and friendship between Afzal Hossain and Sanaul Arefin has propelled their company forward for decades. Afzal Hossain spoke about a unique era in Bangladesh's advertising industry where professionals supported one another. Instead of competing, they collaborated, helping each other grow. He cited companies like Adcom, Bitopi, and Asiatic as examples. Following his speech, the audience was treated to a compilation of popular Mattra advertisements and jingles from the 80s and 90s.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. A posthumous award was presented to the late Ayub Bachchu for his musical contributions as a jingle composer. The award was accepted by Afzal Hossain and LRB member Abdullah Al Masud, and presented by Anjan Chowdhury, director of Square Group.
The honourees included, cinematographer, Anwar Hossain Bulu, models Adil Hossain Nobel, Sadia Islam Mou, Tania Ahmed, Pallab Chakraborty, and Tanvin Sweety, makeup artist, Nahid Nawrin Jahan (Nahin), voice artistes, Nima Rahman and Trapa Majumdar, jingle artistes, Ripon Khan, Foad Nasser (Babu), and singer Sumona Haq.
As Sadia Islam Mou was unable to attend for personal reasons, the award was accepted on her behalf by her friend, popular 90s television actress and model Lamia Tabassum Choity.
Awards were presented by a distinguished group of guests, including theater legends Ramendu Majumdar and Ferdousi Majumdar, renowned cartoonist and painter Rafiqun Nabi, acclaimed artist Monirul Islam, actor Tariq Anam Khan, author Imdadul Haq Milan, media personality Shykh Siraj, writer and mountaineer Iftekharul Islam, Rupali Chowdhury, Managing Director of Berger Paints Bangladesh, Matiur Rahman, editor of Prothom Alo, and Romana Chowdhury, editor of MW Magazine.
Mattra was founded in 1984 by Afzal Hossain and Sanaul Arefin. For their contributions in continuing Mattra's legacy and pioneering new narrative styles in advertising, filmmakers Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Amitabh Reza Chowdhury received special recognition.
Cultural adviser and filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki attended the event. Welcoming him, Afzal Hossain said that he was there not just as a cultural adviser but as a fellow filmmaker. In his speech, Farooki highlighted the importance of intergenerational connections. "The next generation learns from the one before it," he said. "I was fortunate to have an older brother like Afzal Hossain."
As Amitabh Reza was outside the country, his award was accepted by Nazim Farhan Chowdhury.
The event was divided into two parts. The second part began with a musical performance by Sanzida Mahmood and Shuvendu Das, who performed several songs, including Gouri Prasanna Majumder's "Bone Noy Mone Mor Pakhi Aj Gaan Gay" and Satinath Mukhopadhyay's popular "Emon Onek Kothai Bolo Tumi". The performance filled the hall with a sense of nostalgia.
In his closing remarks, Khondaker Alamgir, COO of Mattra, thanked everyone on behalf of the company. "This recognition gives our four-decade journey new inspiration," he said.
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