By Fatema Aftab Miah
This spring, the Department of English and Humanities (DEH) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) hosted its 11th Curriculum Integration (CI) Program, weaving together academic inquiry and creative exploration under the theme, “Edible Narratives: The Interplay of Food, Culture, and Identity.” Through a series of engaging forums and a vibrant student project exhibition, the event celebrated food as more than sustenance—positioning it as a potent cultural and literary signifier.
The program commenced on February 27, 2025 with Forum One which was moderated by Mr. Oliur Rahman Sun, Lecturer, DEH, ULAB. The session featured a distinguished panel of speakers including Professor Emeritus, Department of English, DU, and Professor, DEH, ULAB, Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, Special Advisor (BoT), Professor, Department of English, DU and ULAB, Professor Shamsad Mortuza and lecturers Ms. Anika Tahsin, and Ms. Jahanara Tariq, DEH, ULAB. Opening the event, Associate Professor and Head of DEH, Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, emphasized the significance of exploring real-world issues through the lens of curriculum-based learning. What followed was a richly layered discussion on gastro-criticism and the socio-political symbolism of food. Professor Manzoorul Islam examined food as a narrative device deeply rooted in history and theory, from structuralism to post-structuralism. Professor Mortuza reflected on how food rituals and etiquettes reinforce cultural binaries. Ms. Tariq drew attention to gendered readings of consumption and power, while Ms. Tahsin explored food’s existential dimension in literature. The forum concluded with thoughtful remarks from Ms. Rahman and Professor Kaiser Haq, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, who commended the panel and organizers for their efforts.
Held on March 6, 2025, Forum Two welcomed Professor Mahmud Hasan Khan, the then Executive Director of Shasheen Center for Multilingual Excellence, Department of English and Modern Languages, Independent University Bangladesh. Professor Khan delivered a witty yet incisive lecture on how food serves as a cultural artifact shaped by colonization, globalization, and class. Using restaurant menus as cultural texts, he analyzed how empty signifiers and macaronic language reflect deeper socio-economic divides. His discussion of locavorism and food authenticity sparked vibrant dialogue, culminating in an engaging Q&A session that involved both students and faculty. Professor Haq once again presented a token of appreciation, reinforcing the forum’s spirit of scholarly exchange.
The CI program concluded on April 24, 2025 with a Student Project Showcase and Exhibition at ULAB’s main campus. With faculty and students gathered to witness the culmination of semester-long efforts, the event featured eight team presentations spanning short films, dramas, and multimedia projects. The exhibition further displayed an array of student-created posters, paintings, magazines, and poems, each reflecting course-specific interpretations of the theme. Judges included Dean of School of Arts and Humanities, ULAB, Professor Kaiser Haq, Professor Shamsad Mortuza, Senior Lecturer, ULAB, Mr. Golam Kader Zilany, and Ms. Jahanara Tariq.
After thoughtful deliberation, the judges awarded three standout presentations. The second runners-up went to “Feast of the Forsaken,” a painting inspired by Oedipus Rex that was brought to life by students Ansa Tasfiha Suhi and Yusuf Abdullah Tokee from Batch 232, Mst. Suraiya Alam (Batch 231) and Shrabonti Sarkar (Batch 223). The first runners-up was awarded to Afiat Hossain Sakura (Batch 222), Ramisha Nujhat Raisa, Raisa Sadia, Rayana Rahman Khan Ifty, Humaira Tasnim and Aysha Binte Mustafa from Batch 232 for their short film that intertwined Bangladeshi food and language in a veil of comedy. The winners of the CI Project Showcasing was claimed by Azeema Anhar, Aiman Swaad Ahmad and Raisa Anan from Batch 232 for their live presentation titled “A Tale of Three Courses” which was a cross-textual project blending Bartleby, Doctor Faustus, and Animal Farm
By placing food at the center of cultural and literary discourse, the 11th DEH CI Program offered a platform for meaningful engagement and interdisciplinary dialogue. Through forums and creative projects alike, ULAB students and faculty demonstrated how everyday elements of our lives and culture can carry profound academic significance.