Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) has recognised the outstanding contributions of 20 journalists by awarding them the prestigious “Best Reporting Awards” in 19 categories.
The chief guest of the ceremony, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Dr Hasan Mahmud, MP, handed over the crests and certificates to the awardees.
Out of the 20 awardees, 15 received a check of Tk 50,000 and 2 jointly received a check of Tk 50,000. In addition, checks of Tk 1 lakh were given to three people in 3 categories courtesy of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Al Arafah Islami Bank Senior Vice President (Head of PRD) Jalal Ahmed spoke as a special guest at the event chaired by DRU President Mursalin Nomani and conducted by General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel.
Hasan Mahmud, during his speech, said, “DRU has not been divided politically in the last 28 years and hopefully will not be in the future. Of course in our free market economy, anyone can invest in media. Investments create job fields for journalists. However, owners should not interfere.”
“I think it is necessary to have some rules and regulations for the mass media. As the number of newspapers increases, it develops the multi-dimensional social system of the country, simultaneously creating an unfettered field of expression and benefiting the democratic society,” he added.
Best Reporting Award’s Jury Board Chairman Shahjahan Sardar and Sub-Committee Coordinator Saiful Islam also addressed the event. Senior journalist Mostafa Kamal Majumder and Manowar Hossain, members of the jury board, were present at the event.
Other distinguished guests included DRU Vice President Dipu Sarwar, Joint Secretary Moinul Ahsan, Finance Secretary Sakhawat Hossain Sumon, Office Secretary Kawsar Azam, Women Affairs Secretary Maryam Moni Senjuti, Publicity and Publication Secretary Kamal Uddin Sumon, Sports Secretary Md Mahbubur Rahman, Cultural Secretary Mizan Chowdhury, Entertainment Secretary Mohammad Naeemuddin, Welfare Secretary Tanveer Ahmed, Executive Members Mohsin Bepari, Kiran Sheikh and SM Mostafizur Rahman Sumon.
This year's winners
This year 14 reporters received the DRU Best Reporting Award in the print and online category. They are Abu Saleh Roni of Daily Samakal in the Liberation War, History, Heritage and Culture category, Shaheen Akhter of Daily New Age in the Education category and Adnan Rahman of Dhaka Post in the Crime and Law and Order category.
Rahim Sheikh of Daily Janakantha in the Information, Communication and Technology category, Daily Kaler Kantha’s Rahenur Islam (currently working at online media Shokal Shondha) in the Sports category, Haque Farooq Ahmed of Daily Jugantar in the Health category.
Faisal Khan of Daily Protidiner Bangladesh in the Sebakhat category, Channel i Online's Arefin Tanjib in the Agriculture and Environment category, Daily Kalbela's Mohammad Yusuf (Yusuf Arefin) in the Financial Sector (Banking, Insurance and Capital Market) category,
Daily Samakal's Rajeev Ahmed in the 'Foreign Relations (Diplomacy and Manpower)' category, Daily Bhorer Kagoj's Jharna Mani in the Women, Children and Human Rights category, Share Biz's Ismail Ali in the Power and Energy category and Daily Prothom Alo's Arifur Rahman in the Good Governance and Corruption (Inquiry) category.
Maqsood Un Nabi of Channel 24 and Abu Jahed Md Selim of Machranga Television jointly received the award in the Agriculture and Environment category in the television and radio department. Channel 24's Masudur Rahman won the award for best reporting in the Women, Children and Human Rights category.
This year three awards have been given courtesy of BGMEA. Among them, Emdadul Haque Tuhin of Sarabangla.net in the Apparel Sector category, Daulat Akhtar Mala of the Financial Express in the Overall Economy category and Jasim Uddin Haroon of the same daily received the Best Reporter Award in the Investigation in the Economy category.
