Photo: Collected
Journalists always highlight the problems and rights of ordinary people, even while disregarding the many obstacles in their own lives. On the path of carrying out this tireless professional duty, they too sometimes need financial and emotional support. Standing beside these conscientious members of society in times of danger is a social responsibility. It is from that humanitarian outlook that the Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG) Foundation has come forward to support media workers and their families.
As part of this initiative, financial grants were given to the families of four journalists on Friday at the annual general meeting of the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the BIAM Multipurpose Hall in New Eskaton in the capital. At the event, held at 10am, the ABG Foundation handed over cheques totalling Tk 20 lakh, at Tk 5 lakh each, to two ailing journalists working on the Bangladesh Secretariat beat and the families of two deceased journalists.
Among the recipients of the grants are the families of late journalists Harun Or Rashid Talukder and Humayun Kabir Khokon, and journalists Rakib Uddin and Amanur Rahman, who are undergoing treatment. At the cheque handover ceremony, the ABG Foundation was represented by Md Imrul Hassan, director of Bashundhara Sports City and DMD and head of EWPD, BCDL and A&F; MZ Hossain Arzu, head of ABG’s R&D department; and Md Shazedul Karim, general manager of Geology and Mining of the ABG Foundation.
Late journalist Harun Or Rashid Talukder of the Daily Inqilab had long been suffering from kidney complications. His son Md Towhid Harun received the grant cheque on his behalf. Expressing gratitude to the Anvir Bashundhara Group Foundation, he voiced the hope that they would continue this support in future as well.
Sharmin Sultana Rina, wife of Humayun Kabir Khokon, chief reporter of the Daily Amader Shomoy who died after being infected with coronavirus, received the Tk 5 lakh cheque. She said Bashundhara Group was beside them even in that difficult time of the pandemic, and that in the present dark situation this financial support is extremely necessary and a great gain for them.
Nasrin Jahan, wife of ailing journalist Rakib Uddin (the Daily Sangbad), took the cheque for her husband’s treatment and thanked the ABG Foundation. Alongside this, Amanur Rahman, a journalist of the Daily Naya Diganta who is undergoing treatment, was present in person and received the grant cheque. He praised this humanitarian activity of the ABG Foundation and, thanking it on behalf of the journalist community, wished the organisation well.
At the event, Md Imrul Hassan said in his speech that journalists work like a mirror in building a beautiful society. But if they are under financial strain, it becomes difficult for them to highlight society’s concerns independently. Therefore, their financial solvency is extremely important. He further said that, under the direction of Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir, the ABG Foundation has been constantly helping people of different classes and professions across the country alongside journalists.
In addition, BSRF and the ABG Foundation announced that they would jointly launch a media award with the aim of encouraging media workers in positive, investigative and public-interest journalism. It was said that the ABG Foundation would be involved as the sponsor of this proposed award.
It may be noted that the ABG Foundation regularly works for the welfare of the backward and underprivileged people of society. Alongside distributing nutritious food to destitute and orphaned children every Friday, the organisation has been running activities to provide financial assistance to helpless families affected by river erosion and scholarships to meritorious students.
