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Veteran journalist and Jaijaidin Editor Shafik Rehman has been elected interim president of the newly formed National Editors Council (NEC), with Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman elected as its general secretary.
The decision was taken at the first general meeting of the National Editors Council held at a hotel in the capital on Monday. Editors of 29 daily newspapers from Dhaka and different parts of the country attended the meeting.
The council also elected Wada Editor Shafiqul Alam as treasurer. Participants approved the NEC constitution with several amendments and agreed to expand the organisation as a platform for editors across Bangladesh.
Presiding over the meeting, Shafik Rehman emphasised the role of journalists in promoting peace, stability and democratic values.
“Journalists have an important role in ensuring peace and stability in the country. To move the nation forward democratically, journalists must work together in unity,” he said, urging editors nationwide to join the platform.
Addressing the meeting, Mahmudur Rahman said the council aimed to strengthen professional ties among journalists and safeguard independent journalism.
“We want to broaden the National Editors Council and enhance communication among journalists. This initiative has been taken so that editors can remain united in support of independent journalism,” he said.
Mahmudur also called for self-reflection within the media industry, arguing that parts of the press had previously failed to uphold professional standards and independence.
Jugantor Editor Abdul Hai Shikder stressed the need for a return to public-oriented journalism and greater accountability in media practice. Referring to National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam as a pioneer of people-centred journalism in the subcontinent, he proposed the introduction of a Kazi Nazrul Islam Journalism Award.
The proposal was unanimously accepted, and the council decided to confer the Nazrul Medal annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to journalism.
Editors attending the meeting also discussed press freedom, professional standards and challenges facing the newspaper industry. Speakers underscored the need to strengthen ethical journalism and protect freedom of expression in the post-uprising political environment.
Among those who spoke were Osman Gani Mansur of People’s View, Maruf Kamal Khan of Protidiner Bangladesh, Mokarram Hossain of The New Nation, Loton Ekram of Bangladesh Pratidin, Shahidul Islam of Manabkantha and several editors representing regional and national newspapers from across the country.
The NEC said it would continue efforts to bring editors from all regions under a single professional platform and work towards strengthening press freedom and journalistic standards in Bangladesh.