The Media Studies and Journalism Department (MSJ) of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) has recently published a white paper on Policy Regulation for a Sustainable Growth of Bangladesh's Entertainment Industry.

ULAB Media Studies and Journalism Head and ULAB Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Jude William Genilo, PhD, Associate Professor Sarkar Barbaq Quarmal, PhD, and Assistant Professor Muhammad Abdul Kader, PhD jointly contributed to the whitepaper.

The main objectives of this white paper are to discuss the trends relating to Bangladesh’s entertainment industry and to provide a range of approaches that may be utilized to regulate the said sector, according to the authors. In this manner, stakeholders would be in the best position to decide what regulatory measures should be set in place to ensure the industry’s sustained growth.

The white paper states that the prospects of the entertainment industry are bright. However, many stakeholders have expressed concerns that heavy-handed regulations may affect the growth of the sector.

The government needs to exercise its role in safeguarding national and public interests. But it should create an enabling environment that allows market players to operate feasibly, satisfy the entertainment needs of its citizens, and ensure the advancement of the entire industry.

On a special note, Prof Jude William Genilo emphasised that Bangladesh should strike a balance in its regulatory approach to provide an enabling environment for the industry. He also mentioned it would be wise to observe Asia’s leaders - China, Japan and India - in terms of their strategies for providing cultural services.

Dr Barbaq has mentioned his concerns about the threat of heavy-handed policy regulation in the context of the growth of the industry. On this note, Dr Kader added that a heavy-handed approach may even violate the country’s constitutional guarantees, particularly Article 39 on freedom of thought, conscience, speech and press.

The whitepaper earnestly urges for a multi-stakeholder approach that employs a variety of participants to partake in dialogue, decision-making, and implementation of the responses to jointly conceived problems.

The paper can be availed via this link: chrome extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://msj.ulab.edu.bd/sites/default/files/Whitepaper.pdf.