Meril Prothom Alo Awards or Prothom Alo Awards is an annual Bangladeshi awards ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in Bangladeshi Film Industry. The awards are divided into two components, Viewers' Choice and Critics' Choice. The awards were first presented in 1998 and since then the awards are given every year at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC). The 19th Meril Prothom Alo Awards ceremony was held on 20 April 2017 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center. Meril Prothom Alo Awards receive the highest number of viewers among Bangladesh's Awards Ceremonies. Meril Prothom Alo Awards are Bangladesh's equivalent to America's Academy Awards.

History

Meril Prothom Alo Awards were first awarded in 1998. The awards ceremony was organised and held by Bangladesh's largest newspaper Daily Prothom Alo and Square Toiletries Limited. After the construction of BICC in 2002, the awards ceremony was moved to a new location and in 2002, the awards ceremony for the first time was held in front of a large audience. The awards include nominations in more than 30 categories and 2 honorary awards (includes lifetime achievements award).

Nomination

Meril Prothom Alo Awards is divided into two different nomination processes, the Viewers Choice Awards nominations are made based on votes received from audiences and viewers while the jury nominations are selected by the board members (consist of veteran Bangladeshi directors, actors, actresses and producers, and other film personalities).

Voters

The Meril Prothom Alo Awards (MPAA) committee, consists of several selected members' votes on selecting the nominees for each award category. All voters have to be certified by The Prothom Alo Corporation. After the nominees are shortlisted, the nominations are made available to public and they can vote for any of the nominees.

Board members

The board members (known as the Juries) decide the nominations and winners of Critics Choice Awards, which also include honorary awards. The Critics Choice Awards are given in 10 categories. The board, often consists of 8–10 members.

Awards

Public Choice Awards

Critics' Choice Awards

Special awards

Meril-Prothom Alo Lifetime Achievement Award since 2002

Discontinued categories

Best TV Program

Records

Most awards

Most acting awards

Male: Female:

Most music awards

Male: Female:

Most directing awards

Most film awards

Male: Female:

Most TV awards

Male: Female:

Most modelling awards

Male: Female:

Most nominations

Female:

Awards ceremonies

The following is a listing of all Meril Prothom Alo Awards ceremonies since 1998.

Controversy

The awards have come under criticism from various sections of the society for being held during a time of national crisis. Ignoring public outcry on social networks, the organizers went ahead with the ceremony which was held at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in Dhaka on 26 April 2013, as the entire country mourned the demise of more than 1136 people in the collapse of a building at Savar.