Seminar: Media Genocide in Gaza
The Department of English and Humanities (DEH) at ULAB held a seminar on “Media Genocide in Gaza” on September 3, 2025, featuring Palestinian-Jordanian journalist Montaser Marai, Manager of Media Initiatives at Al Jazeera. Mr. Marai explored the optics of global media and social platforms, and the representation of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Mr. Marai also criticized the mainstream Western journalistic integrity and the apparent distortion of facts and information regarding the Gaza genocide.
Mr. Marai started the discussion by addressing the number of journalist casualties in Gaza. Commenting on the mainstream media’s complicity in presenting this number as simple statistics, he criticized the corporate capitalism and ever growing political alliance of the global media. Mr. Marai also argued that the media's failure to act as democracy’s “fourth estate” has allowed the non-conventional “new media” to become the alternative means of journalism.
The speaker then highlighted the shift from traditional to digital journalism through the “new media,” noting how social media and smartphones enable anyone to broadcast relevant events live. He also commented on the challenges that come with the progress, as universal access also undermines credibility and creates the risk of spreading distorted information.
He further discussed the problems created by the algorithms, coded by social networking sites that determine which contents are getting exposure and thus focused upon. According to him, algorithms of major social networking sites and news outlets are often designed to favor the narratives of the oppressing side. As a result, authentic voices that are raised in Gaza about the brutal genocide gets sidelined. This chain of events lead to dramatic misinformation and often disinformation spread by certain agencies.
Mr. Marai highlighted the situation faced by audiences too. As social media and different websites overwhelm users with information, people struggle to decide which source to trust. This confusion, he argued, makes it very easy for certain organizations to spread their false narratives as a result of which digital slavery is born, where individual users unknowingly consume and circulate the types of content that reinforce the narratives of the oppressor.
The informative session concluded with a reflection on the need for responsible journalism from the audience members and future generations of journalists. Mr. Marai stressed that journalists and audiences have to play vital roles against this digital aggression on journalism. As a result of such aggression, the genocide in Gaza is taking place without the expected level of opposition throughout the globe. The brutal reality of this genocide, he emphasized, has not been fully depicted in any form of media. Mr. Marai reminded the audience that this genocide is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a test of the core value of journalism: ensuring justice and becoming the voice of the voiceless.
Hosted by Oliur Rahman Sun, Lecturer, DEH, the event was attended by an incredibly large and diverse audience comprising faculty members and students from all departments, as well as Prof. Kaiser Haq, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, and Prof. Sumon Rahman, Dean of the School of Social Sciences.
A short question and answer session followed the talk, during which Mr. Marai addressed and appreciated the support of Bangladeshis, especially the well-informed youth, for the Palestinian cause. Prof. Kaiser Haq made his comments in the same vein and handed over a token of appreciation to Mr. Marai after which the seminar concluded with a group photo.
