Dhaka could be the capital of Bangla content in the next five years, OTT analysts said at a session held at the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest on Friday.
The session "OTT: The Future of Content Creation" was attended by Shawki Syed, Sajjad Sharif and Elora Halim Chowdhury.
It was moderated by the managing partner and country head of Grey Group Bangladesh Gousul Alam Shaon.
Shaon said: “At the moment, Bangladesh is undergoing a cultural revolution. OTT is the new medium of this success.”
"Language barriers are being lifted now," stated Sajjad Sharif in reference to what must be done to promote the narrative from Bangladesh around the world.
“Our works are now being viewed with subtitles by audiences around the world, which was not the case before. Additionally, we can now instantly see how many views are seeing our content, and for how long,” he added.
Sajjad Sharif added: “There will be a conflict between the two Bengals over writing screenplays or literature. While that is a positive aspect, a major obstacle to the development of OTT content may be policy barriers to freedom of storytelling. If this can be achieved, Dhaka will be the capital of Bangla content.”
Meanwhile, web series director of “Taqdeer” and “Karagar” Shawki Syed said: “Actually, none of us are aware of what the audience truly desires. Sometimes I see people watching construction work on the side of the road for hours, and it surprises me that they can actually enjoy that too.”
“It is therefore extremely challenging to determine precisely what the audience actually wants,” he added.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneElora Halim Chowdhury, a professor in the women's, gender and sexuality studies department at the University of Massachusetts Boston, stated: "In our nation, various women producers are performing fantastic work. The environment, in my opinion, is crucial for raising this number.”
Book lovers from across Bangladesh started gathering on the Bangla Academy premises braving the cold on Friday morning as the second day of the Dhaka Lit Fest went underway.
The day's programs kicked off with spiritual songs by Sardar Afsar Uddin.
