Ekattor TV’s Special Correspondent Mufti Parvez Nadir Reza and Bangla Tribune’s Senior Reporter Shahed Shafiq have won the first-ever Rotary Media Award in development journalism for their outstanding reporting in broadcast and print media categories respectively. The awards were given on Saturday at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in the capital during the District Conference of the Rotary International District (RID) 3281. Four other journalists--Abdullah Shafi of Nagorik TV and Ahmed Fazlay Rabbi of ATN News in broadcast category while Jesmin Papri of News Bangla and Gouranga Nandi of daily Kaler Kantha in print and online category were the other nominees for their reporting. Also read: Independence Award: Amir Hamza’s name dropped from list The two winners received Tk 1 lakh as prize money, a crest and a certificate each while the nominees were also given a crest and a certificate each.

Rotary on Friday announced “Rotary Media Award” for journalists to recognise their outstanding contributions in the field of development journalism highlighting Bangladesh’s economic development. The announcement was made at a press conference by Rotary’s District Governor Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui at the Jatiya Press Club. Rotary Club of Uttara organised the news conference and its president Rotarian Julhas Alam, also a journalist, chaired the event.  The Rotary Media Award-2022 will be presented in two categories –-one award for broadcast media and another for print media including online.  Every awardee will be conferred with BDT 100,000 (one lakh), a crest and a certificate.  The district governor said Bangladesh has become a model of development and Rotary is also working for changing people’s lives through efforts under seven areas assigned by the Rotary International headquartered in Illinois in the United States. “Media is playing a crucial role in projecting good examples of development in the country. Rotary wants to recognize media’s such effort. So we are introducing this special award to encourage journalists,” Faruqui said. He said any news report or series of reports with focus on the development and sustainability in the fields of – a) fighting disaster, b) providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, c) saving mothers and children, d) supporting education, e) growing local economies and f) protecting the environment --  can be submitted for the awards. Read: 8 proposals including 10-km road in Munshiganj get cabinet body nod But the reports must be published between July 01, 2021 and March 05, 2022. The reports can be either in Bangla or English. Journalists under RID 3281 – Barishal, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Rangpur—are eligible to submit reports for the awards. Any Bangladeshi journalist –man or woman—from national or regional newspapers, TV and Radio stations can submit nominations for the Rotary Media Award by March 05, 2022 (midnight), he said. The reports should be sent through email: [email protected] Under the Rotary International, Bangladesh’s Rotary administration is divided into two Rotary districts. Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions fall under RID3282. More than 300 clubs are working in Bangladesh under RID3281.  Noted media personality and also past president of Rotary Club of Dhaka North West Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said there is a relation between Rotary and Media. “Rotary is providing services, while the media are bringing those to the public,” he said. “With the introduction of this media award, it will help check corruption, curb offenses, stabilize democracy and promote the spirit of the Liberation War further. And it will also strengthen the relation between Rotary and journalists further,” said Iqbal Sobhan. Past district governor and also regional coordinator for Rotary’s public image SAM Showket Hossain said now political stories are given the first priority and business news get the second priority. “But issues related to social and economic development should get more priority in the media,” he said. “So Rotary and the media can work together for ensuring better development practices,” he said. RID3281 chief advisor Magfur Uddin Ahmed, District Governor Elect Engr MA Wahab, UNB Editor Mahfuzur Rahman, head of news of GTV, Syed Ishtiaque Reza, head of news of NTV Zahirul Alam, senior leaders of the Jatiya Press Club and representatives of journalists’ unions also attended the press conference.