Biography
Dr. Abu Jafar Md. Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan is a professor of film and media studies at the University of Dhaka. He is the founder of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography, a vibrant and ever-expanding academic department at the University of Dhaka. He is an independent documentary filmmaker who received the National Film Award 2022 for a documentary film titled Bangabandhu-o-Dhaka Biswabidyaloy. He is also the first provost of Bijoy Ekattor Hall, the most magnificent student dormitory on the Dhaka University campus, equipped with all kinds of modern facilities such as career and counselling services, a gymnasium, and IT training facilities. Before founding the Department of Television and Film Studies (now the Department of Television, Film, and Photography) in 2012, Professor Bhuiyan taught at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka for many years. He also taught at the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, for several years. Before joining the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism in 1997, he was a journalist. He worked for the national news agency BSS, the Financial Express, and the New Nation.
His research interests include the political economy of communication, political cinema, South Asian film and media, media policy and Internet governance, and the social implications of new media technologies. He has written numerous research articles on media and society in leading national and international journals, including the International Communication Gazette, The Information Society, and the Journal of International Communication. His book, titled Internet Governance and the Global South: Demand for a New Framework, published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2014, is perhaps the first book-length treatment of global Internet politics from the perspective of the global South. His edited book, titled Krishi Sangbadikota (Agriculture Journalism), written in Bengali and published in 2016, is a well-researched and comprehensive textbook for journalism students across universities in Bangladesh.
He has been on the jury for the National Film Award for the last several years. He is an expert member of many media policy-making bodies of the Government of Bangladesh. As an activist intellectual, he writes regular columns on leading newspapers such as The Daily Star and news portals such as bdnews24.com on political, social, and cultural issues and features on television talk shows to analyze political issues and media as well as cultural policy. As an elected representative of the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), Professor Bhuiyan also leads and participates in different progressive social movements.
He also collaborates with UNESCO and Catalyst on media, information, and public policy-related projects. He has designed and established two cutting-edge media teaching facilities on the DU campus—a television station and an animation lab—obtaining funds under the Higher Education Quality Enhance Project (HEQEP) of the University Grants Commission and from the ICT Ministry, respectively. He is also the initiator of two online televisions: Dhaka University Television (DUTV) and the American International University of Bangladesh Television (AIUBTV).
Professor Bhuiyan was born into a middle-class family. His father was a manager at the Bangladesh Muktijuddha Kalyan Trust (Bangladesh Freedom Fighters’ Welfare Trust). He is the eldest son of Md. Shahjahan Bhuiyan and Ayesha Khatun, and they have three siblings. He is married to Dr. Farhana Begum, a professor of anthropology at the University of Dhaka. He has a son.
Professor Bhuiyan grew up in Dhaka and studied mass communication and journalism at the University of Dhaka. He did his BA (Honors) and MA in Mass Communication and Journalism, obtaining first-class first positions in both examinations. He received three gold medals for his outstanding results in the BA and MA examinations. He did his second MA in communication at the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University in Ontario, Canada, on a Commonwealth Scholarship. He did his PhD in media studies at the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. He secured many scholarships during his PhD studies, including the prestigious CanWest Global Fellowship.
His hobbies include reading books, travelling, and watching movies and soccer games.
Education
• Ph.D. in Media Studies, Simon Fraser University, B.C., Canada, 2010;
• M.A. in Communication, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, 2002;
• M.A., Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, 1993
Ranked First Class First
• B.A. (Honors) in Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, 1992
Ranked First Class First
• HSC, First Division, Dhaka Board, 1989
• SSC, First Division with Star Marks, Dhaka Board, 1987
Academic Awards
• Simon Fraser University President’s Research Stipend, Canada
• CanWest Global Graduate Fellowship, Canada
• Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship
• Moswud Khan Gold Medal, University of Dhaka
• Dilnoshin Khanam Gold Medal, University of Dhaka
• Abul Mansur Ahmed Gold Medal, University of Dhaka
Teaching Experience In Bangladesh:
• Taught at the Department of Mass Communication Journalism, Dhaka University from 1997 to 2012.
• Have been teaching at the Department of Television Film and Photography as a Professor from 2013.
Teaching Experience In Canada:
• Taught in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University from 2005 to 2009 as a Sessional Instructor.
Administrative Experience
• Former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Dhaka
• Founding Provost, Bijoy Ekattor Hall, University of Dhaka
• Founding Chair, Department of Television, Film and Photography, University of Dhaka
Social and Political Experience
• Convener, Sub-committee for producing a documentary on “Bangabandhu and Dhaka University” to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Dhaka University.
• Member, The Sub-committee on Education and Human Resource Development, Bangladesh Awami League, for the Second Consecutive Term.
• Elected Member of the Executive Committee of the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) 2021. This is the fourth time I have been elected as a member of the Executive Committee.
• Member, Dhaka University Senate, Elected as a Teachers’ Representative, Dhaka University for the last two consecutive terms (2013-2019).
• Former Joint-Secretary, Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA).
• Former Co-Convener, Central Committee, The Blue Group (The group of the pro-AL teachers), Dhaka University
• I was honoured to receive the primary membership of the Bangladesh Awami League from Honorable Prime Minister and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at a ceremony in the Gonobhobon on May 22, 2017
• Moderator, Dhaka University Information Technology Society (DUITS)
• Former Advisor, Dhaka University Photography Society (DUPS)
• Former Advisor, Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS)
Experience in Journalism
• Staff Reporter, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), 68/2 Purana Paltan, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. From July 1996- August 1997.
• Staff Reporter, The Financial Express, TropicanaTower (4th Floor), 45 Topkhana Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. From July 1994- June 1996.
• Junior Reporter, The New Nation, 1 Ramkrishna Mission Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh. From January 1992-June 1994.
Involvement in National Policy-making:
• Member, Feature Film Grants Allocation Committee, Ministry of Information
• Member, National Broadcast Law Formulation Committee
• Member, National Broadcast Policy 2014 Formulation Committee
• Member, National Film Policy Formulation Committee, 2014
• Member, Online Media Policy Formulation Committee, 2014
• Member, Governing Board, Bangladesh Cinema and Television Institute, Bangladesh (2013-2020)
• Member, Jury Board, National Film Award 2012-2017
Media presence
• Columnist, The Daily Sun
• Regularly appears on television Talk Shows to discuss social and political issues
Scholarly Publications
Books:
• Bhuiyan, Abu (2014). Internet Governance and the Global South. UK: Palgrave Macmillan
• Bhuiyan, Abu (2016). Krishi Sangbadikota [Agriculture Journalism]. Dhaka: Chandrabati Academy.
Selected Journal articles and book chapters
In top quality international scholarly journals:
• Bhuiyan, A. J. M. S. A. (Forthcoming). Internet in the Global South: Unequal Expansion, Neocolonialism, and the Rise of a New Transnational Subject
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A (2011). “American Century in World Communication.” [This article was published in the Chinese Language]. Chinese Journalist, 9, 102-104.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A.(2008). “Peripheral view: Conceptualizing the Information Society as a Postcolonial Subject.” International Communication Gazette, 70(2), 99-116.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2004). “Universal Access in Developing Countries: A Particular Focus on Bangladesh.” The Information Society, 20(4), 269-278.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2002). “The Political Economy of Mass Communication in Bangladesh.” Journal of International Communication, 8(2), 118-136.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2006). [Review of the book Floating Lives: The Media and Asian Diasporas]. Journal of International Communication, 12(1), 95-97.
In Bangladeshi scholarly journals
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A (May 2012). “Television Journalism as a Field.” Forum, 6(5).
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A (August 2011). “RTIA and People’s Right to Know.” Forum, 5(8).
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A (May 2011). “Press Freedom: Still a Far Cry.” Forum, 5(5).
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2000). “Bangladeshe sangbadikder kormo sontusti-o-songbad potre kazer poribesh” [Journalists’ job situation and satisfaction in Bangladesh]. Dhaka Biswabiddaloy Potrika [Dhaka University Studies], 66 (February), 99-112.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (With Farhana Begum) (1999). “Media Policy and Social Development: Bangladesh Perspective.” Social Science Review, 16(2), 247-254.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (With Sheikh Abdus Salam) (1997). “Putra SontanerPradhanno, adhunik projukty-o-mullabudh: Proshong-Bangladesh” [Preference of male child, modern technology, and moral values in Bangladesh]. Lokproshashon Samoeeky [The Journal of Public Administration], 8 (March), 43-52.
Book Chapters
• Bhuiyan, Abu J.M.S.A. (Forthcoming). Community-Centered Development Model in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In A. Kaushik and A. Suchiang (Eds.), Narratives and New Voices from India: Cases of Community Development for Social Change. Springer
• Bhuiyan, Abu J.M.S.A. (2014). “‘Digital Bangladesh’: Technology, Inequality and Social Change.” In B. Shoesmith and Jude Genilo(Eds.), Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape: From State Control to Market Forces (pp. 193-214). UK: Intellect
• Bhuiyan, Abu J.M.S.A. (2002). “Media policy and social development: Bangladesh perspective.” In K. Mahadevan, Kiran Prasad, ITO Youichi, and Vijayan K. Pillai (Eds.), Communication, Modernisation and Social Development: Theory, Policy and Strategies, vol. I (pp. 141-153). Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J.M.S.A. (with Rumana Siddique) (1998). “Habitat”. In Philip Gain (Ed.), Bangladesh Environment: Facing the 21st Century (pp. 246-260). Dhaka, Bangladesh: SEHD [Society for Environment and Human Development].
Selected Recent Popular Publications
• Tribute to Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru, April 17, 2021, The Daily Sun
• Bangabandhu’s Philosophy of Education, April 3, 2021, The Daily Sun
• Bangabandhu’s Cultural Politics, October 10, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Assassination of Bangabandhu and Impunity for Killing, August 15, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Dhaka University at Its Hundredth Year (with Dr Farhana Begum), June 30, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Bangladesh Awami League Turns 71, June 23, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Lessons from global pandemics (with Dr. Farhana Begum), May 16, 2020, The Daily Sun.
• COVID-19, stigma and othering (with Dr. Farhana Begum), April 29, 2020, The Daily Sun.
• COVID-19: Crisis Communication and Risk Perception (with Dr. Farhana Begum), April 22, 2020, The Daily Sun.
• CAT for universities: Recipe for disaster (?), February 15, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Bangabandhu’s ideals: Rethinking and renewal, January 06, 2020, The Daily Sun
• Dialogue, politics, and the upcoming election, Nov. 17, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• The uniform teachers’ recruitment policy for universities and quality recruitment, Nov. 4, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Draft broadcast and online media law and freedom of expression, October 24, 2018, The Daily Our Time.
• Reading the grenade attack case verdict, October 14, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Digital Security Act: An obstacle to journalism? October 6, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• New rich in Bangladesh, Sept 24, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Bangabandhu’s biopic, Shyam Benegal, and Bangladesh’s cinema, Sept 8, The Daily Our Time
• The potential of BIMSTEC, Sept 1, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Imran, Pakistan and South Asia, Aug 26, 2018, The Daily Our Time.
• Social media as rumor mills, Aug 11, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Youths, city streets, and new movement, Aug 4, 2018, The Daily our Time
• Healthcare, court and the regulatory Authority, July 28, 2018, The Daily Our Time
• Anti-quota movement, violence, and diplomatic Norms, July 14, 2018, The Daily Our Time.
• Televised football and nationalism, July 7, 2018 The Daily Our Time
• Ramadan, Eid and consumption, Jun 23, 2018, The Daily Our Time.
• Budget and plebeian thoughts, June 13, 2018, The Daily Our Time.
Seminar Presentations
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (August, 2021). Media Research and the COVID-19. Paper presented at the 4th Networking Conference On ‘News Media In Bangladesh Under Covid-19’, Jahagirnagar University, Jahangirnagar, Bangladesh
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (June, 2021). Digital Imperialism and the Global South: Inequality, Neo-dependency, and Distorted Transnationalism. Paper presented at the Third Biennial Conference on Communication, Media, and Governance, Cosponsored by the National Communication Association (NCA) and the Communication University of China (CUC), Beijing, China.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (December, 2019). The Politics of Development Paradigms: The Relevance of Community Driven Development Model in the Wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Keynote Paper presented at the First International Communication Conference, EFL University, Shillong, India.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (October, 2019). The Politics of Internet Governance: Solidarity in the Global South. Keynote Paper presented at the conference titled “Transcultural Solidarities Across Global Divides: Histories, Institutions and Agents,” Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (January 2017). New Actors, New Space, Yet Brutish Consequences. Keynote Paper presented at Seminar 4 – Contentious Politics and Democracy in the Digital Arena of the ESRC Seminar Series: Exploring Civil Society Strategies for Democratic Renewal at City, University of London, London, UK.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (September 2016). Media Governance: Bangladeshi Approach. Paper presented at the Australia-Bangladesh Business Forum Conference, Melbourne, Australia
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (2014, July). Bangladeshi Media in Transition: Implications for Media Education. Paper presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, Hyderabad, India.
• Bhuiyan, Abu J M S A (2011, December). Transformation of newspaper Journalism in Bangladesh: Political to Commercial. Paper presented at the 2nd International Congress of Bengal Studies, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2007, October). Intellectual property rights, the state and global governance. Paper presented at the Union for Democratic Communication (UDC) Conference, Vancouver, BC.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2007, May). Internet: A global public good or an enabler of digital divides. Paper presented at the Canadian Communication Association (CCA) Conference, Saskatoon, SK.
• Bhuiyan, A.J.M.S.A. (2006, July). The ‘Information Society’ meets the South: A narrative of capital, class, and development. Paper presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, Cairo, Egypt.
Invited Speech
• Invited talk: “Cinema, Geopolitics and Bollywood,” Organized by the National Institute for Strategic Communication, Peking University, October, 2019; Beijing, China
• Invited talk: “South Asian Solidarity: Religion, Refugees and Geopolitics,” Organized by the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, October, 2019, Beijing, Dhaka.
• Keynote Speech: “The framework of a national film policy,” Organized by the Department of Television and Film Studies, August, 2014, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Keynote Speech: “Broadcast policy-making in the age of neoliberal information capitalism” at the 29th founding anniversary of the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, June 2014, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Keynote speech: “Press Freedom in Bangladesh” at the 25th founding anniversary of the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, June, 2010, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Involvement in Academic Publishing
• Editor, BCTI Journal
• Review Editor, Sage Open Journal
• Editorial Board Member, Bangladesh Film Archive Journal
• Former Editor, Social Science Review
Ongoing Research Projects
• Evaluating Bangladesh-India film co-productions; funded by the UGC
• Assessing the effects of Indian satellite channels on the Bangladesh culture and cultural Industries; funded by BANBEIS, the Ministry of Education