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Senior journalist and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury has been appointed Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the national news agency.
The government made the appointment on a contractual basis for one year, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Thursday.
The notification said Muhammad Kader Gani Chowdhury was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Editor of BSS under Section 10(1) of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Act, 2018.
His tenure will begin from the date he joins the post and continue for one year, the notification said.
The appointment comes as Chowdhury, a veteran journalist and trade union leader, has been serving as the Secretary General of the BFUJ. He is also the Member Secretary of the Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, an organisation representing professionals from different fields.
As part of the terms and conditions of his contractual appointment, Chowdhury will have to relinquish any other profession, business or employment relationship with any government, semi-government or private institution or organisation.
The condition is intended to ensure that he performs his responsibilities at BSS without holding any other professional or organisational position during his tenure.
BSS is Bangladesh’s state-run national news agency and plays a central role in gathering and distributing news to newspapers, television channels, online news outlets and other media organisations across the country and abroad.
As Managing Director and Chief Editor, Chowdhury will be responsible for overseeing the overall administration and editorial operations of the national news agency.
His appointment also comes at a time when the media industry is undergoing significant changes, with news organisations facing the challenges of digital transformation, declining traditional revenue models and the growing demand for faster and more credible news.
Chowdhury’s long involvement in journalism and the professional movement of journalists is expected to bring his experience of newsroom management, editorial affairs and media rights to his new role at BSS.
The contractual appointment was made by the government in accordance with the provisions of the BSS Act, which provides the legal framework for the appointment and functioning of the news agency’s Managing Director and Chief Editor.