Two lecturers of the Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department reviewed the book “Mediar Chalachitra,” by renowned journalist Muhammad Jahangir on August 5, 2010.  The book is a compilation of Mr. Jahangir’s opinion columns in the newspaper Prothom Alo regarding media’s role for social change.  Written in 2008 and 2009, the author covered 29 topics illustrating the doubled edged capability of the media – either being constructive in educating or being destructive in misleading the people.  

The author is a media personality, trainer, researcher and columnist.  He has written and edited 24 books on journalism, television, politics and others.  He is Executive Director of the Center for Development Communication.  The faculty who reviewed the book were Senior Lecturer Marium Akther and Adjunct Faculty Biaksh Chandra Bhowmick.  The book is 135 pages long and costs around 175 taka.  Copies of the book were on sale during the event.

ULAB Roundtable Tackles Competition Policy.

The Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) will hold a Roundtable Discussion entitled “Competition Policy and the Media in Bangladesh” on August 12, 10:00 to 12:00 at the ULAB Auditorium.  The discussion takes off from a quote from the World Bank’s World Development Report 2000-01: “Markets work for the poor because poor people rely on formal and informal markets to sell their labour and products, to finance investment, and to insure against risks. Well-functioning markets are important in generating growth and expanding opportunities for poor people.”  From here, the speakers – ABM Hamidul Mishbah (Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh), Dr. Enamul Haque (Economics Professor, United International University), Kazi Faruk (General Secretary, Consumers Association of Bangladesh) and Tanim Ahmed (Assistant Editor, bdnews24.com) tackle the importance of the current debate on Competition Policy and Law in the country.

According to ABM Hamidul Mishbah, the biggest challenge in Bangladesh today is to get rid of the abject poverty that deprives a large section of the population a dignified life. Bangladesh, in the absence of appropriate legal instruments, has been infected by number of anti-competitive and unfair trade practices like cartels, hoarding, and collusive pricing and reducing supply of basic commodities. This leads to the growing demand for developing a comprehensive legal framework that can combat the anti-competitive practices and ensure a competitive environment serve to enhance economic development and growth. Competition policy and law plays probably the most significant role in promoting competitiveness, innovations and growth in the market. It helps to create not only an enabling environment for entrepreneurial development, employment generation, market efficiency and consumer’s access to goods and services at a reasonable cost but also to build democracy through fairness and reduction of corruption and poverty.”

 Since the Bangladesh government is underway to adopt a Competition Policy and Law, the MSJ Department has taken the initiative to hold this discussion to enlighten the media and citizens regarding its significance.  The roundtable discussion will be facilitated by Assistant Professor Hillol Sobhan.  ULAB opened its doors in October 2004 after obtaining permission from the University Grants Commission.  The MSJ Department has three study concentrations – Mass Communication, Journalism and Digital Production.  It has around 200 students at present. It plans to launch a study concentration on Business Journalism, Public Relations and Digital Film Making next year.

ULABians go ‘international’ with full scholarship to European universities.

Four ULABians have secured places in the Regional Master in Journalism, Media and Communication for the 2010-2012 session. They vied against 200 applicants from where 40 were short-listed after a highly competitive written exam. The candidates were then screened through an oral test and only 18 Bangladeshis made it to the programme.

The successful ULABians who did us proud include: Mahabub Allahe, Nilufa Jahan, Rajib Kumar Datta and Roya Muntassir – from the Media Studies and Journalism Department.

During this two-year Masters, all students will receive full scholarship from NORAD, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The Regional Masters, launched in 2008, is an international programme offered by the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, in collaboration with the Oslo University College in Oslo, Norway, the College of Journalism and Mass Communication in Kathmandu, Nepal, and the University of Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan. Along with the Bangladeshi students, this full time 90-credit Masters programme would also offer 8 places to students from the other partner countries.

As part of the programme, students get an opportunity to attend courses at partner institutions in different countries.

ULAB, Katalyst Conduct FGD on Business Journalism.

The Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department, in partnership with Katalyst, conducted a focused group discussion on the proposed study concentration on business journalism on July 17, 2010.  Facilitated by ULAB Associate Professor Anis Pervez, a total of 9 key informants from the media and education sectors participated in the activity.  These included:  Sanaul Haq Dolon (ATN Bangla), Mohammad Tauhidul Islam (Bangla Vision), Hillol Sobhan (ULAB), Muhammad Jahangir (Center for Development Communication), Anis Alamgir (The Independent), Jamil Ahmed (Journalism Training and Research Initiative-JATRI), Reaz Ahmed (Daily Star), Minhaz Anwar (Betterstories) and Ajoy Das Gupta (The Daily Samakal).