A training workshop for grassroots journalists on news gathering techniques, organized by the Model Press Club and Reporters Unit of Naogaah and Mohadevpur Darpan, was held.

Daily Bijoy News, Naogaon Correspondent:

Speakers at a training workshop for grassroots journalists titled "Strategies for Safe News Gathering by Avoiding Violence" urged for maintaining complete neutrality in journalism to prevent violent behavior against journalists across the country, providing equal opportunity to all parties in news dissemination regardless of political affiliation if no one behaves disrespectfully, being strategic without disrespecting informants while collecting news, and fostering unity among genuine journalists.

The workshop was organized by the Mohadevpur Model Press Club, Mohadevpur Reporters Unity, and the local experimental weekly 'Mohadevpur Darpan' at the Farmer Training Auditorium of the Mohadevpur Upazila Agriculture Extension Department. 18 journalists working in Mohadevpur participated in the workshop.

As resource persons, Azadul Islam Azad, Mohadevpur correspondent of Daily Ittefaq and President of Mohadevpur Press Club, and Yusuf Ali Suman, Barind region correspondent of Daily Jaijaidin and President of Mohadevpur Model Press Club, were present. Kazi Raushan Jahan, publisher of Mohadevpur Darpan and Mohadevpur representative of the news agency FNS, was present as a special guest. Q. M. Saeed Tito, Mohadevpur correspondent of Daily Sangbad and President of Mohadevpur Reporters Unit, presided over the event.

Conducted by Kazi Shamsuzzoha Milon, Daily Rajbarta correspondent and General Secretary of Mohadevpur Reporters Unit, speeches were given by, among others: Sohail Rana, Amar Barta Multimedia correspondent and General Secretary of Mohadevpur Model Press Club; Alhaj Saifur Rahman Soni, Daily Sokal-er Somoy correspondent; M. R. Raj, SA TV correspondent; Suman Kumar Ghosh Bullet, Daily Agrajatra correspondent; Asit Das, Daily Ajker Janabani correspondent; Zulhas Khan, Daily Apradh Daman correspondent; Sohag Rahman Sujan, Daily Ajker Prabhat correspondent; Mahbubuzzaman Setu, Daily Jaijaidin correspondent; Shamim Hasan, Daily Tritiya Matra correspondent; Sweet Hossen, Daily Ajker Khabar correspondent; Uzzal Kumar Sarkar, Daily Banglar Doot correspondent; Abdul Aziz, Daily Bogura correspondent; Shaheen Alam, etc.

Grassroots journalists presented detailed descriptions of the obstacles, attacks, lawsuits, and humiliations they face during daily news gathering and demanded remedies. They mentioned that in Mohadevpur, a certain group, despite having no newspaper of their own and writing no news, engages in extortion, tender manipulation, and creating syndicates for evading government revenue under the guise of news collection, getting involved in cutting roadside trees, excavating ponds, and soil and sand syndicates, wielding influence within the administration. They stated that most of the lawsuits genuine journalists have faced at various times were with the direct support of rival journalists and called for unity among genuine journalists against these issues.

Resource person Azadul Islam Azad, describing experiences from the time of Bangla Bhai, said, "To be a good journalist, one must first be a good person. A leader may have 20 qualities. But a journalist must have 18 more qualities. To be a journalist, one must acquire knowledge, be a thoughtful person, be a creative person. Many more things must be achieved. Those who are newly entering journalism must learn from seniors and make new decisions based on their experiences."

Another resource person, Yusuf Ali Suman, referencing the contributions of pioneers of journalism in this subcontinent, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and Maulana Akram Khan, said, "In our country, the sentiments of 95% of the people are not covered as much as the sentiments of 5% of the people are covered in news like Islamic gatherings. In news dissemination, equal opportunity must be given to all parties irrespective of religion or caste." He said, "Although the state provides security to journalists, in day-to-day events, journalists must collect news strategically, maintaining a safe distance to avoid violence. The present government is the fruit of the mass uprising of students and the public. This government will provide full security to journalists."

Workshop President Q. M. Saeed Tito said, "Mohadevpur Model Press Club, Mohadevpur Reporters Unit, and the Mohadevpur Darpan family directly participated in the mass uprising of students and the public in Mohadevpur. The movement in Mohadevpur was conducted from the offices of these organizations. After August 5th, the standard of journalism here has improved. Extortion in the name of journalism has stopped. Now we must remain completely neutral and unite the genuine journalists." He called for genuine journalists to come together on one platform, excluding those who were involved in extortion or were plaintiffs or direct accomplices in false cases against journalists.

Daily Bijoy News / Uzzal Kumar Sarkar