Economic reporters shower encomium on FE editor

FE Report

Late editor of The Financial Express A.H.M. Moazzem Hossain was truly an honest professional, free from greed.

He was an icon in the country's financial journalism.

Senior journalists, colleagues recalled him at a condolence meeting organised to pay homage to the late editor.

The Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) organised the meeting held in the city on Saturday.

Moazzem Hossain was the founder of the ERF, a group of financial journalists in the country.

Mahbubur Rahman, president at the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh, attended the programme as the chief guest, while Abul Kalam Azad, managing director and chief editor at the national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), was the special guest.

ERF president Saif Islam Dilal chaired the meeting.

The discussion evoked an emotion-chocked environment when speakers recalled their memories with late Moazzem Hossain in their professional and personal life.

Mahbubur Rahman recalled the memories of how the late editor founded the English language daily a quarter century back.

Late Hossain not only turned the FE into a profitable organisation, but made it a news organisation that pays dividend to the stakeholders, he said.

"This happened because of professionalism of Moazzem and his full devotion," he noted.

Mr Rahman said all the words uttered by the speakers at the programme were true for the late editor.

"Definitely, you are not paid for saying these words, not to get any sympathy from us or others, these words are absolutely true [for Moazzem]," Mr Rahman said.

"I know none of you is his relatives, and none induced you into saying so."

He said these words will go the Almighty Allah.

Mr Rahman explained briefly how he had convinced him in bringing out the newspaper.

"Initially, I was not interested, and most of our friends were also not interested in publishing a newspaper," he recalled.

Mr Azad said that late Moazzem Hossain was completely professional, honest and free from greed.

He said such type of journalist is rarely found in the country's journalism profession.

"He was fearless about doing fair journalism in the country, which we can follow."

Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, news editor at BSS, said, "Moazzem Bhai wrote many articles on the capitalism, which was analysed in the light of socialism."

Ashiqun Nabi Chowdhury, the newly-appointed Press Minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in London and former chief reporter at the BSS, said the editor Moazzem provided employment for many senior journalists.

"I was axed by BSS in 2001, and the next morning Moazzem Bhai offered me a job at the Financial Express," he said, giving a personal account.

Mr Dilal said his organisation will do its best to uphold the memory of the late editor.

"We'll do whatever we can to uphold the memory of Moazzem Bhai," Mr Dilal said.

At the beginning of the programme, a documentary film was screened on the life and work of late Moazzem Hossain.

Some of his colleague urged the ERF to launch an award in memory of late editor and a fellowship after his name.

Senior journalist Ershad Majumdar, managing director at the vernacular daily Sangbad Quasem Humayun, executive editor at the New Nation Faruque Ahmed, senior journalist Bodiul Alam and Daily Star business chief Sajjadur Rahman spoke, among others, at the function.

ERF senior member Lutfor kabir Saadi offered Doa at the end of the programme.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) condoled on Saturday the death of The Financial Express editor A.H.M. Moazzem Hossain.

On behalf of the garment makers, BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman said, "I express my profound grief and condolence at the demise of veteran journalist Moazzem Hossain."

"We all pray to the Almighty Allah for the salvation and eternal peace of his departed soul," he said.

The International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) also expressed deep shock at the demise of the FE editor.

In a condolence message, IBFB president Humayun Rashid said, "Moazzem Hossain was a workaholic, who never tired until he met the deadline."

"His departure is truly an irreparable loss for his family members and the media world. We convey our deepest condolence to his bereaved family members," he added.

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