Seven journalists from various media outlets have been awarded the first-ever 'Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award 2025' for their coverage of the agriculture and agro-processing industry. The awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) in Gulshan, Dhaka. The awards were given by PRAN Group, a leading agro-processing industry in the country.
The journalists were awarded in three categories: print, television, and online. In the print category, Sukanto Halder from The Daily Star, Rafiqul Islam and M Munir Hossain from The Daily Sun received the awards. In the television category, the awards went to Delawar Hossain from Channel 24 and Rakib Hossain from Ekattor TV. In the online category, the recipients were Nazmul Hossain from Jago News 24 and Shariful Rukun from Ekhushe Patrika.com.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan handed over the awards as the chief guest. National Press Club President Hasan Hafizur Rahman was present as a special guest. PRAN Group Managing Director Elias Mollah and PRAN-RFL Group Marketing Director Kamruzzaman Kamal also attended the event.
Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan emphasized the importance of agriculture and agro-industry in Bangladesh's economy, highlighting its significant contribution to GDP, employment, and overall economic growth. He urged journalists to conduct more investigative reports on the potential of agriculture and agro-industry.
PRAN Group Managing Director Elias Mollah stated that the agro-processing sector has immense potential and could play a major role in the country's economic development. He mentioned that this sector could become a significant export industry after the garment industry. The Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award was introduced to encourage journalists to report on the opportunities and challenges in the agro-processing industry.
The awardees were selected by a three-member jury board comprising Professor Robayet Ferdous from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, General Manager of Bombay Sweets and Company Khurshid Ahmed, and Outreach and Communication Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Mohammad Touhidul Islam.
