The first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bangladesh Development Communications Forum (BDCF) was held in Dhaka, marking a new chapter as the platform transitions into a formal professional body named Bangladesh Communications Professionals Society (BCPS).

Founded initially as a Facebook community named Bangladesh Development Communications Forum, the platform has evolved over the years into a vibrant network of media, communications, advocacy, public relations, and knowledge management professionals across Bangladesh’s development and public sectors.

Saturday’s AGM formally announced the new identity Bangladesh Communications Professionals Society (BCPS) and the initiation of legal procedures to register the society, including obtaining an official license.

During the AGM held at YWCA, Mohammadpur, a 10-member committee was announced with Tony Michael Gomez as Chairperson, Sazia Sharmin as Vice-Chairperson, and Masud Rana as Member Secretary.

The other committee members include Ehsanur Rahman Zia, Amit Das, Juliet Mondol, Sahas Mostafiz, Jakia Haque Neela, Sazia Afrin, and Asad Russel.

At the networking session, BCPS members exchanged professional insights and discussed the future strategic direction of society.

Chairperson Tony Michael Gomez said, “Strategic communication is now a national necessity. Strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing professional skills, and building closer collaboration between media and development actors will be at the core of BCPS’s priorities.”

Member Secretary Masud Rana added, “What started as a networking space for communication professionals has now taken its formal shape through the establishment of BCPS. This is just the beginning of a collective journey toward capacity building and knowledge sharing for communication practitioners in Bangladesh.”

Launched in 2018, the Bangladesh Development Communications Forum Facebook group quickly grew into one of the most active platforms for professionals working in communication, media, advocacy, campaign strategy, public relations, and knowledge management in both government and development sectors.

The network now boasts over 10,000 members, making it one of the largest professional communication communities in the country.