The Shomotay Tarunno: Youth for Equality initiative handed over its inaugural media awards at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, organised by Plan International Bangladesh, on Monday.
A total of 15 journalists and advertising directors were honoured across five categories: National Newspaper, Local Newspaper, Television Media, Online News Portal and Advertisement.
The awards aim to encourage journalism that promotes human dignity, equality, and gender-sensitive reporting in Bangladesh.
In the National Newspaper category, senior sub-editor of Daily Samakal Md Shaherin Arafat received the Champion Award.
The runners-up awards went to senior staff correspondent at Daily Sun Rafikul Islam, staff correspondent at Daily Kalbela Zafar Iqbal and Prothom Alo reporters Naznin Akhter and Mansura Hossain.
In the Local Newspaper category, Awal Sheikh, a reporter for the Khulna-based Daily Janmobhumi, won the Champion Award, while Shariful Rukon, staff reporter for Chattogram-based Ekusei Patrika, received the runner-up award.
In the Television Media category, Meherin Anny, reporter at Ekhon TV, claimed the Champion Award, with Jinnia Kabir Suchona, senior reporter at Channel 24, receiving the runner-up award.
For the Online News Portal category, Zubair Ahmed, a reporter at Kaler Kantho, took home the Champion Award, while Arafat Zobayer from Dhaka Post and Al-Amin Hasan Adib and Arafat Ripon from Jagonews24.com received runners-up honours.
In the Advertisement category, Shahed Shahrookh, director of Trim Picture Media, won the Champion Award, while Hasan Rezaul, director of Jantrakkhi Films, received the runner-up award.
The jury for the awards was chaired by Parveen Sultana Rabbi, director of Training Engineering at the National Institute of Mass Communication.
The board also included Professor Sanjida Akhter from Dhaka University鈥檚 women and gender studies department, Professor Rezwana Karim Snigdha from Jahangirnagar University鈥檚 anthropology department, Central Women鈥檚 University associate professor Sajib Sarkar and United International University鈥檚 mass communication and journalism department professor Sheikh Mohammad Shafiul Islam.
The jury reviewed submissions received through an open call in each category.
The ceremony was attended by several prominent figures, including educationist-activist Rasheda K Chowdhury, chief of the media reform commission Kamal Ahmed, Women Affairs Reform Commission member Halida Hanum Akhter, Plan International Bangladesh country director Kabita Bose and jury Board chair Parveen Sultana Rabbi.
During the ceremony, Kabita Bose delivered the opening speech, and Nishat Sultana, director of Influencing, Campaigns, and Communications at Plan International Bangladesh, gave the closing remarks.
The Shomotay Tarunno: Youth for Equality project, a four-year initiative, is jointly implemented by Plan International Bangladesh and JAAGO Foundation Trust, with funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.