Azadi editor Abdul Malek gets Musa, Setara Musa life-long honour

Azadi editor Abdul Malek gets Musa, Setara Musa life-long honour.

ABM Musa and Setara Musa life-long honour for 2024 was conferred on Abdul Malek, editor, Daily Azadi and memorial lecture made by Dr. Kaberi Gayen of Mass Communication and Journalism Department, Dhaka University.

The life-honour and memorial lecture was organised by the ABM Musa and Setara Musa foundation at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday 28 February marking their birthday.

Abdul Malek (84), editor, Daily Azadi, recipient of the honour thanked the foundation for the award. He recalled the fearless journalism practiced by ABM Musa. 

He dwelt on the role of the Daily Azadi at different stages of social and political movements in Bangladesh and pledged to remain committed to the cause of the red and green flag. 

Dr. Kaberi Gayen of Mass Communication and Journalism Department, Dhaka University, made the memorial lecture. She spoke on the gender issue and said the mass media has the publicity power to promote as well as abuse gender issues.

Political economy of mass media as well as the capital and manpower involved should be weighted for a proper understanding of their roles in respect of gender issues.

Presentation of women issues remain neglected and dominated by males. Their bodily beauty, sex appeal gets prominence than the actual news. These are in fact stories of the male species. Only 6-9 percent news are on women and children 84 pc of those again on cruelty.

TV coverage of women issues is no different. The tendency is the same in print media. Women distanced from their real problems instead project their beauty. Advertisements highlight the sex appeals of women to arouse response from males who are mostly the buyers in our society.

The function was presided over by Dr. Golam Rahman, editor, Ajker Kagaj and former teacher of Dhaka University and former Information Commissioner.

Doing a detailed analysis on the participation of women in the news media she referred to a global survey which states 84 percent journalists in Bangladesh are males and 16 percent females. Making news media gender-sensitive remains difficult. Proper policy and people's ownership of the media plus a long cultural movement are needed for this.

Aladdin Nasim, MP, Feni -1 lamented by saying, 'we are no longer real journalists, teachers or bureaucrats, we are either of AL or BNP' We should be back to our own selves to serve the society.

Prof. Shamim Reza, Daizy Moudud, Dainik Bangla Ctg Bureau Chief, Prof. Shahidullah Ripon, CU; Shahnaz Munni, Qurratul Ain Tahmina, Shima Moslem of PIB, Nasimun Ara Begum, Daily Sangbad among others took part in the discussion. 

Dr. Golam Rahman praised ABM Musa for his newspaper columns and the ability to take political decisions plus influence others. Nation will be honoured if we can transfer their legacy to the new generation, he said. GW News Desk