FE wins Press Council award as the best institution

Two FE journos also bag awards

FE REPORT | Published: November 28, 2020 23:45:35

The Financial Express (FE) won the Bangladesh Press Council Award-2020 as the best institution in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the field of journalism.
Two journalists of the financial daily also bagged the award in different categories. Arafat Ara, a staff reporter of the FE, won the award as best woman journalist and photojournalist Shafiqul Alam for best photography.
Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud handed over the awards to FE Editor Shah Husain Imam as the chief of the institution and the two journalists of the daily on the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) premises in the city on Saturday.
Other winners of the Press Council Padak-2020 are the daily Korotoa (best institution), Zahidur Rahman, a sub-editor of the daily Samokal, and Md Yusuf, a staff reporter of the daily Amader Somoy.
The Bangladesh Press Council also honoured eminent journalist Toab Khan with lifetime achievement award at the award giving ceremony.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have congratulated the winners with messages of greetings.
Chairman of the Jury board Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, who is also a member of the Press Council, announced the names of winners.
Other members of the council Naem Nizam, Syed Ishtiaq Reza, Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Abdul Matin Khashru and state minister for Information Dr Md Murad Hassan spoke at the programme presided over by Press Council Chairman Justice Md Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed.
Speaking at the programme, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the government has taken an initiative to empower the Press Council by amending its law.
Once the law is amended by parliament, the Council would be able to extend its support to the aggrieved journalists, he added.
The minister also said the government has provided support to journalists in these times of Covid-19 pandemic, unlike other countries in this subcontinent.
Some 4,000 journalists have received assistance from the government and it will continue until the pandemic ends, he said.
Family members of journalists will also receive support from the government, he added.
The minister said the number of both print and electronic media outlets has increased since 2009, but focus should be given on objective journalism.
The number of newspapers was 450 in 2009, and the figure has reached 1,250 at present while the number of television channels has increased to 35 from 10 in 2009, he said.
"We will not issue registration to those online news portals that are working to serve individual interest and indulging in wrongdoings," the minister added.
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