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THIMPHU, Bhutan: A delegation of the Bangladesh Chapter of the SAARC Journalist Forum (SJF) met Rinzin Wangchuk, a Central Executive Member of the regional journalists’ organisation, in Thimphu on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among journalists across South Asia.
The delegation visited Bhutan at the invitation of Wangchuk and held a meeting with him in the Bhutanese capital, focusing on regional media cooperation, professional development and the challenges facing journalists in SAARC member countries.
The meeting discussed the need for greater cooperation among journalists and media organisations across the region to help address common professional challenges and strengthen the capacity of media workers.
The participants also stressed the importance of support from respective governments and relevant institutions to create a conducive environment for journalists to perform their professional responsibilities efficiently and with due dignity.
They also discussed organising development and capacity-building programmes for journalists, particularly training on emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), which they said is becoming increasingly important for modern journalism.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of promoting peace, democracy and press freedom across South Asia and strengthening professional networks among journalists from SAARC countries.
The participants agreed that greater interaction and knowledge-sharing among journalists could contribute to improved reporting standards and help the media play a stronger role in promoting understanding and cooperation among the peoples of South Asia.
Since its inception, the SAARC Journalist Forum has organised conferences, seminars and other programmes to promote regional media cooperation and professional exchanges among journalists from SAARC member states.
The participants called for keeping members regularly informed about upcoming initiatives and opportunities so that journalists from across the region can participate more actively in programmes aimed at strengthening regional collaboration.
Rinzin Wangchuk is a former president of the Journalists Association of Bhutan and former editor of Kuensel, Bhutan’s leading national newspaper. He is also a member of the Central Executive Committee of the SAARC Journalist Forum.
The Bangladesh delegation arrived in Thimphu on August 15 after participating in the four-day International Indigenous Journalism Conference held in Kathmandu, Nepal, from August 9 to 12.
The conference brought together journalists and media professionals from different countries to discuss indigenous-language journalism, media development and the challenges facing indigenous communities.
The Bangladesh delegation was led by senior journalist Md Ziaur Rahman.
Other members included Md Abdur Rahman, Secretary General of the SAARC Journalist Forum and Senior Correspondent of The Bangladesh Post; Mushtaq Ahmed Mubaraqui, Editor of The Daily Bongobani; Mohammad Muniruzzaman, Editor of Daily Bank Beema Economics; Panna Zaman, Managing Editor of Daily Amar Bangla; and Md Abu Bakar Siddique, Senior Correspondent of Daily Aajker Provat.
The visit to Bhutan is part of the delegation’s broader regional engagement aimed at strengthening professional links among journalists and promoting greater cooperation within the South Asian media community.