Speakers at an award function on Thursday called for wider media focus on the concerns regarding extremism so that all stakeholders in the society can help promote peace and tolerance.
They called for greater role playing by the media in promoting the causes of peace and tolerance.
Society for Media and Suitable Human-communication Techniques (SoMaSHTe) with the support of USAID organized the programme at The Daily Star Centre in the city to award 13 Dhaka and Rajshahi-based mainstream journalists and citizen journalists for their works highlighting importance of defusing extremism and promoting peace in the country.
Masud Rana of Jago News 24, Jamil Khan of The Daily Star and Rashidul Huq Rusho of Ekattor Television received first, second and third prizes in mainstream media category while Hadisur Rahman, Raqibul Hossain and Malequzzaman Shaha got first, second and third prizes in citizen journalist category.
With ex-chief information commissioner Dr M Golam Rahman in the chair the programme was attended by ex-VC of Dhaka University Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique as chief guest. Journalists Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Syed Ishtiaque Reza and Ajoy Dasgupta, among others, also spoke at the programme conducted by SoMaSHTe Director Mir Masrur Zaman. Earlier another SoMaSHTe Mir Shahidul Alam delivered welcome speech.
In their speeches both Prof Arefin Siddique and Prof Golam Rahman stressed on the need for more media attention to the concerns about rise of extremism and said there should be media reports promoting the causes of peace and tolerance in the society.
Some of the awardees also expressed their views on the theme of peace and shared some work experiences as well.
source: UNB
