The certificate awarding and closing ceremony of the media fellowship on comprehensive road safety, organised by the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), was held in Dhaka on Monday.
The three-month media fellowship programme was designed to support journalists in producing fact-based, objective and responsible analytical reports on road safety.
A total of 25 journalists from various national newspapers, state-owned and private television channels, news agencies, and online news portals across the country took part in the fellowship.
The fellowship aimed to contribute to the formulation and promotion of a comprehensive road safety law in Bangladesh; to support Bangladeshi journalists in preparing informative and analytical reports on such a law; and to present road safety in the media as a key public health and development issue.
The fellowship also sought to highlight the media’s role in advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, target 3.6 (to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030) and SDG 11, target 11.2 (to ensure access to safe, affordable and accessible transport systems for all by 2030, including through improved road safety and the expansion of public transport).
During the fellowship, the selected journalists, under the supervision of mentors nominated by BNNRC—senior journalists from various media outlets—produced and published 75 fact-based, objective, and analytical reports on road safety. Through these reports, in-depth media discussions emerged on the causes of road crashes, structural weaknesses, policy gaps, necessary measures to improve road safety, and the need for a comprehensive road safety law. The reports played an essential role in raising awareness of road safety among readers and viewers.
At the event, all fellows received certificates and honorarium cheques. In addition, based on recommendations from their respective mentors, six fellows received special recognition as “Best Fellows” and were presented with crests.
The journalists recognised as “Best Fellows” are: Mr. Imon Rahman, Staff Reporter, Daily Jugantor, Mr. Anowar Hossain, Special Correspondent, Prothom Alo, Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim Raza, Senior Correspondent, Banglanews24.com, Ms. Shaheen Akhter, Senior Staff Correspondent, The New Age, Jamiul Ahsan Shipu, Senior Reporter, Daily Ittefaq, Ziaul Hoque Sabuj, Business Editor, Bangla Vision while the mentors who served during the fellowship were: Mr. Sohrab Hasan, Joint Editor, Prothom Alo; Mr. Badsha Mia, Chief News Editor, Bangla TV;
Mr Asjadul Kibria, Planning Editor, The Financial Express; Dr Sakila Jesmin, News Editor, Channel i; Mr. Abu Saleh Akon, Chief Reporter, Daily Naya Diganta and President, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU); and Mr. Basir Jamal, Chief Reporter, Amar Desh.
Along with the fellows and mentors, the event was attended by Dr. Md. Shariful Alam, Country Coordinator, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC.
Speakers stressed that ensuring road safety is not limited to legislation or infrastructure development alone; rather, responsible journalism, evidence-based reporting and people-centred policy debate play a crucial role in building a safe road transport system. They therefore urged the fellows to continue prioritising road safety in their regular reporting and to ensure that news on this issue is published and broadcast even after the conclusion of the fellowship programme.
BNNRC works for media and digital development in Bangladesh, addressing both knowledge-based and emerging issues in light of the challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing realities of media and digital transformation.