Maintain objectivity, avoid twisting headlines: Speakers urge journos

Speakers at a workshop today (21 December) urged journalists to maintain objectivity especially in news headlines.

In his address, Professor Dr Md Shahidul Haque, student affairs advisor of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), urged the journalists to refrain from twisting news headlines which are conflicting with news contents.

Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Mahbub Morshed attended the programme as the guest of honour and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Director General Dr Anuradha Bhadra spoke as the special guest.

At the event, speakers underlined the need for development of agricultural journalism in the country to promote coverage of agricultural news, views and research activities.

They said agriculture is a vital sector of the country's economy, so media should give more focus on dissemination of news and views for its overall development. 

They said this at the closing ceremony of a training workshop on 'Agribusiness Marketing, Investigative and Digital Media Journalism' organized by Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)'s Graduate Training Institute (GTI).

A total of 17 journalists and 2 public relations officers of the Bangladesh Agricultural University Journalists' Association participated in the 5-day workshop at GTI training room.

GTI Director Professor Bentul Mawa presided over the closing ceremony while GTI professor and member of the UGC Prof. Masuma Habib, assistant-coordinator of the training programme Prof. Md. Mozammel Haque were also present, among others.

Mahbub Morshed, also writer and novelist, expressed hope that the training programme would help the journalists improve their skills in journalism.
 
Noting that one annual training is not enough, he suggested that the university administration or GTI authorities can organize more workshops with engaging journalists from the country's top media outlets. 

"This will further improve the professional standards of journalists. In addition, the university's communication with the media will increase," he said.

Certificates and crests were distributed among the trainees while special honors were given to two best trainees. 

Later, the guests unveiled the cover of this year's training souvenir 'Nabo Jagaran' named in the light of spirit of the July mass-uprising.