ULAB hosts panel on language documentation and tech in linguistics

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) hosted a panel discussion titled "The Art of Language Documentation and the Role of Technology in Linguistics Research" on 22 November 2025 as the concluding session of a three-day student workshop on the same theme.

The workshop was facilitated by Dr David A Peterson, senior linguistics fellow at ULAB's Department of English and Humanities and associate professor of linguistics at Dartmouth College, USA.

Dr Peterson opened the programme with an overview of the workshop, which trained student participants in language documentation techniques and the ethical considerations involved. During the workshop, students recorded audio and video samples from native language consultants from the Marma, Bawm and Mro communities, and later learned to analyse the collected data using both traditional and advanced software tools.

At the panel discussion, community language activist Samar M Soren, founder and head of the Language Resource Hub, expressed concern over the lack of transparency between researchers and Indigenous communities, stressing that communities must have equal access to linguistic data. Supporting this view, Dr Mashrur Imtiaz of the University of Dhaka said that returning all documentation to the community is crucial for genuine language development and preventing extinction.

Dr Asifa Sultana of BRAC University noted that documenting ethnic languages and developing their grammar are parallel processes that require close collaboration with native speakers. Nukraching Marma, director of KNSI Bandarban, emphasised that cultural preservation is vital for safeguarding languages, as language carries cultural meaning. UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, Dr Susan Vize, highlighted the need for a national archive to consolidate information and observed that limited online resources make Bangladesh unprepared for AI systems that can effectively support Indigenous languages.

Rani Ukhengching Marma, representing the Mong Circle Chief in Khagrachhari, said Bangladesh still lacks an Indigenous language policy, leaving external actors to dictate language-learning priorities for Indigenous children without community consultation.

The discussion, moderated by ULAB lecturer Oliur Rahman Sun, concluded with a Q&A session involving workshop trainees, aspiring linguists, academics, alumni and faculty members from ULAB and other universities.

Professor Kaiser Haq, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, underscored the importance of documenting and translating stories and narratives from Indigenous communities. Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Milan Kumar Bhattacharya praised the initiative and reaffirmed ULAB's commitment to language preservation and community engagement as part of its liberal arts mission.

In his closing remarks, Professor Shamsad Mortuza, special adviser to the ULAB Board of Trustees, thanked Dr Peterson, Professor Mahmud Hasan Khan and the organising team for their efforts during Dr Peterson's 10-day fellowship, and acknowledged the panelists for their contributions to the national discourse on language documentation and UNESCO's role in fostering it.

Towards the end of the event, Dr Peterson presented certificates of completion to the 13 participants of the workshop. Professor Mahmud Hasan Khan, who coordinated the fellowship and related programmes, closed the session with a vote of thanks.