Renowned film personality and head of Media and Communication Department at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) Prof. Zakir Hossain Raju has joined the 80th Venice International Film Festival as a Jury Chair.  
Earlier this year, the organisers of this prestigious global film festival invited him to preside over the Jury for the Asian Film Competition.
 The 80th edition of the film festival is taking place between August 30 and September 9, 2023.
Established in 1932, it holds the distinction of being the oldest film festival and remains a top film festival in the world, attracting filmmakers, industry professionals, and enthusiasts from all over the globe.
The Asian Film Competition at the Venice Film Festival is organised by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC), a global organisation dedicated to the study and circulation of films of Asia and the Pacific. This year, after nearly two decades, the festival organizers have set a distinct section to award Asian cinema separately.
Well-known personalities such as former artistic director of Rome International Film Festival Teresa Cavina and film critic and researcher from the Czech Republic Viera Langerova will join Professor Zakir Hossain Raju as co-jurors.