Campus Report :
Department of English, BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) organized a symposium on “Representation of ‘Other’ in Media: The Context of Bangladesh” at the University Capus recently.
Prof Dr Nizamuddin Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor, BUFT, inaugurated the symposium. Ali Azgor Talukder, Associate Professor and Head, Department of English, delivered the welcome speech. A panel of four speakers namely Mohiul Islam, Sr Lecturer, Israt Taslim, Lecturer, Mahmuda Iasmin, Sr Lecturer, and Prokash Chandra Sharkar, Sr Lecturer, from the Department of English discussed the issues of the media representation of the minority or ‘Other’ in the society of Bangladesh.
The faculty members and students from English and other departments of BUFT were present at the symposium. They contributed to the discussion after the panel discussion was over.
This symposium was organized to create awareness at this moment in 21st century, when ‘othering’ or marginalizing the diversities is widely present in our society where media is adding to these stereotypical representations rather than attempting to change it. In this regard, Mohiul Islam talked about the films in Dhallywood where ‘Othering’ is more visible on the silver screen through the typical portrayal of some characters.
With reference to television commercials, Israt Taslim articulated how media stereotyping is adding to the pre-conception of ‘othering’ in our society. Mahmuda Iasmin talked about the item songs in films where a female is re-objectified in front of the gaze of patriarchal society. Prokash Chandra Sharkar re-visited the experience of Bangladeshi audience by explaining the stereotyping of the culture and practice in daily soap and soap operas.
