Discussants at a programme here on Saturday stressed the role of mass media in strengthening relations between Bangladesh and India.
They said media can highlight the problems and potentials of the two countries, remove misunderstanding and ignorance, open the eyes of the policymakers concerned and help create an understanding between nationals of the two countries. Friends of Bangladesh, Dhaka chapter, arranged the daylong dialogue titled ‘Role of Media in Strengthening Relations between Bangladesh and India’ at La Vinci Hotel at city’s Karwan Bazar.
Syed Badrul Ahsan from The Daily Star and Goutom Ghosh, president of Friends of Bangladesh, India chapter, presented the keynote papers on behalf of their respective countries at the function.
The discussants called upon the journalists of the two countries to play their due role in bolstering ties between the two neighbourly countries.
There should be people-to-people contact between the nationals of the two countries and also good neighbourly relations, they said.
Issues such as trans-border crimes, rise in fundamentalism, civil society’s role, people-to-people contact, changing attitudes and mindsets, threat to secular politics due to change in regimes, trade, energy, cultural and gender issues and women trafficking, environment and water came up for discussion at the programme.
Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, columnist Abed Khan, Samokal editor Golam Sarwar, chairperson of Dhaka University’s Mass Communication and Journalism Department Akhter Sultana, CEO of Boishaki TV Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, organiser of Friends of Bangladesh Nasir Uddin Yusuf, coordinator Joyonto Acharjee and Shahnaz Begum of The Independent, among others, took part in the discussion.
Associate editor of The Times of India Shankar Raghuraman, consulting editor, Prothom Alo (New Delhi) Saumya Bandyopadhyay, bureau chief of Times Now, Delhi, Santanu Ghosh, coordinator of Friends of Bangladesh Topasree Gupta and cultural activist from Agartala Chunilal Devnath, attended the dialogue from Indian side.
-With UNB/The Independent input
