Type designers, researchers and typography practitioners have stressed the need for more research and regular practice to further develop Bengali type design and take it to the global stage.
They made the remarks at ‘Lipikola TypeTalk 2026’, organised by Lipikola Type Foundry at the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra building in Banglamotor, Dhaka.
The event focused on the history and contemporary practice of Bengali type design, its aesthetics and technology, research, and its potential in the international arena.
Discussing the key elements of Bengali type design, Dhaka University Graphic Design Professor Maksudur Rahman said the shapes, stylisation and strokes of Bengali letters play a crucial role in developing typefaces.
He said letterforms often change when handwritten or pictorial forms are translated into type, stressing the need to distinguish between calligraphy, typography and other forms of visual marks.
He also noted that type design requires a range of specialised skills, making it difficult for one person to handle every aspect of the process, while such expertise is increasingly in demand internationally.
The discussion also highlighted technological challenges in Bengali typography. New Age Deputy Editor Abu Jar Md Akkas pointed to limitations in Bengali keyboards and Unicode in accessing certain letters and character combinations, saying these gaps can create difficulties for users.
He stressed the need for research into both the history and contemporary practice of type design, as well as greater attention to letter spacing.
Type designer Anisuzzaman Sohel shared a professional memory of receiving praise from late artist Qayyum Chowdhury while working on the Samakal logo.
Organisers said Bengali lettering is an important visual element of the language and culture, but regular and institutional discussions on Bengali type design and typography remain limited.
Type designer and researcher Jacob Thomas, artist and type designer Shahinur Rahman, Avro developer Tanbin Islam Siam and Ekushey Project developer Ami Azad also attended the event.
Established in 2024, Lipikola Type Foundry works on Bengali and multilingual typefaces, research, publications, typography and type culture. Its TypeTalk event was first organised in 2025.
