bdnews24.com’s Hello journalists get Meena award

Two reports run by bdnews24.com on children rights issues have received Unicef's ‘Meena Media Award 2014'.

Monir Hossain, a journalist with children journalists-run web portal hello.bdnews24.com, secured second place in the under-18 print category for reporting. Mamunur Rashid came out third in the above-18 group.

Hossain’s story on neglected street children, ‘Ke Phirabe?’, was published on the web portal on Oct 15 last year.

Rashid’s report on visually impaired students not getting textbooks even six months after the commencement of academic year was run on June 25. He left bdnews24.com last year.

“It’s definitely a good news,” said Hello’s Editor Aninda Rahman. “Social change is a long-term process and this achievement of a child journalist of Hello is definitely a significant development.”

Hello, the world’s first dedicated Bangla news website for children, is the result of a joint initiative between Bangladesh’s first internet-only newspaper bdnews24.com and Unicef.

Children under the age of 17 are trained in journalism to reflect children’s opinions and aspirations in mainstream media.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Unicef’s Goodwill Ambassador and actress Arifa Zaman Moushumi, and Unicef’s country representative Pascal Villeneuve handed over the awards to 36 recipients at a function in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Journalists of certain age groups from print media, radio and television are nominated for the award mainly for creativity and journalism. The Unicef-sponsored award was introduced in 2005.

Hossain received Tk 25,000, a certificate and a crest. Rashid got Tk 15,000, a certificate and a crest.

‘Protect child rights’

The Unicef representative lauded Bangladeshi media’s efforts to present children’s opinions in mainstream media. He said the Unicef was proud to recognise the media’s efforts.

Inu urged Unicef to be more vocal against the use of children in political programmes.

“It won’t be possible to create social awareness if we do not speak against this [using children in politics],” the minister said.

He noted that “bigotry, social prejudice, and militancy” are impediments to ensuring child rights.

“Children can’t be saved if we do not raise our voices against militancy,” he said.