Proactive approach needed to combat social media menace in BD, India

Bangladesh and India should work together to combat religious rumors that frequently spread over the digital and social media platforms and create anarchic situations. Despite creating huge opportunities, the rapid emergence of digital and social media platforms is enflaming the rise of communal disharmony, social menace, and disorder in Bangladesh and India. Both the government sometimes apply a ‘reactive’ approach instead of adopting a ‘proactive’ approach to prevent such anarchic situations triggered by the fake news disseminated by the conspirators.

Professor Dr. Sheikh Shafiul Islam, Chairperson, Department of Journalism and Media Communication (JMC) at the Green University of Bangladesh said this in a keynote speech at the inaugural ceremony of the International Conference on Inclusivity, Convergence and Alternate Negotiations (ICAN) on Friday (July 1).

Dr. Islam emphasized a proactive approach by both the government which incorporates a comprehensive package of education combining the tools and techniques of recent communication technologies with adequate supportive content on culture, tolerance, human values, and ethics of content production and dissemination.

The week-long ICAN conference, being one of the mega conferences in the stream of media and communication, has been organized by Delhi Metropolitan Media School in collaboration with the School of communication and creative arts, Deakin University Melbourne Australia. A number of media scholars, academics, professionals, and experts from various countries joined the inaugural session of the mega-media conference convened by eminent media personality and academic Professor Dr. AmbrishSaxena, Dean, DME Media School.

Eminent media scholar professor K.G. Suresh, Vice-Chancellor, MakhanlalChaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, (MCU), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh is leading the conference as the conference Chair while Professor Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury, Secretary-General, Global Media Education Council(GMEC) will lead as the Co-Chair. 

It is expected to accommodate 125 research papers to be presented by the media experts and professionals from India, China, Morocco, Australia, USA, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Argentina, Dubai, Nigeria, Italy, Singapore, and Egypt in  26 sessions spreading over 01-07 July 2022.

The key concept of conducting this international conference is to provide a platform to researchers, academicians, and students to present their research work in technical sessions and get involved in academic discourse and exchange through panel discussions, master classes, and workshops. It is mentionable that ICAN conferences are organized every year by DME Media School, DME in collaboration with the School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, and with the support of many universities and institutions including ICSSR.

A number of media scholars from different countries delivered their speeches at the inaugural ceremony including Professor K.G. Suresh, Justice Bhanwar Singh (Former Judge, Allahabad High Court), Director General, DME, Chief Advisor of ICAN; Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury; Professor Ravi Kant Swami, Director, DME; DrSusmitaBala, Professor and Head, DME Media School; Dr. Maithili Ganjoo, Professor and Dean, FMeH; Dr. Jolly Josh, Associate Professor, Amity University, Noida; Dr. Vikrant Kishore, Member, Australia-India Film Council; Akram Hoque, Editor; Dr. Manasvi Maheshwari, Associate Professor, DME Media School.

The inaugural ceremony has been concluded by a cultural function with the performances of the students from the partnering institutions.