Turning Points magazine formally launched by bdnews24.com

Guests and contributors gathered on Tuesday morning to formally launch the print, digital and virtual editions of ‘Turning Points: Agenda for 2016’, an annual magazine published by bdnews24.com in collaboration with The New York Times News Service.

They hailed it as a unique piece of work and a major milestone in Bangladesh’s media landscape, speaking at a brief ceremony at bdnews24.com offices in Dhaka.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, who was a guest, said it was “a big moment for Bangladesh’s media”.

“I have come here to witness a turning point,” the minister said. “I think it is a rare honour for our media that an institution like The New York Times has decided to work together with a media entity in Bangladesh.”

No legal barrier to media freedom: Inu

BNP’s Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury poses for photo at the Turning Points launch.

The print edition hit the stands earlier this month; the digital presentation is available on bdnews24.com and a V-Mag version is being offered by publishers of the Bangladesh edition of the New York Times News Service-licensed magazine.

In a reprint of a bdnews24.com-published piece, Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister, recounts her days in the bungalow-turned-prison – her 11 months in solitary confinement during the military-controlled caretaker government.

The magazine has contents contributed by both New York Times News Service and bdnews24.com. 

The publication of ‘Turning Points’ was “a breath of fresh air”, said Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a former commerce minister and a senior opposition figure.

Former MP and much-loved film star Sarah Begum Kabori and Mahjabeen Khaled, MP also graced the ceremony.

Among the ‘Turning Points’ contributors present were Khushi Kabir, a leading rights activist and Bangladesh coordinator for One Billion Rising; Selima Ahmad, President of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash; and bdnews24.com's Contributing Editor Afsan Chowdhury.

In an exclusive interview for the magazine, AMA Muhith, Bangladesh’s octogenarian finance minister, defends the government’s records as the manager of the Bangladesh economy for the past seven years and asserts everything is on track for a better 2016.

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson of BRAC – the world’s largest NGO –focuses on poverty reduction through the “graduation” of the poor, a method initiated in Bangladesh and implemented in over eight countries. 

Khushi Kabir raises crucial questions about climate challenges that Bangladesh, as the nation most affected, faces.

Writing exclusively for Turning Points, Atiur Rahman, then Bangladesh Bank governor, speaks of the resoluteness of the Bangladeshis, especially those who work abroad and send money back home to help with balance of payments.

Selima Ahmad, winner of the Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2014, describes the model for women’s empowerment as a ‘turning point’ for the country’s patriarchal system.

Subir Bhaumik, a BBC veteran and now senior editor at bdnews24.com, takes on the potential for trade and communication between Bangladesh and the northeastern states of India as ties between Dhaka and Delhi reach new heights.

Poet and Dhaka University professor Kaiser Haq sheds light on the history of Bangladesh literature while bKash founder Kamal Quadir talked about the success and possibilities of mobile banking.

Leafing through the 146-page magazine, the reader is guided through issues that govern social and political life in Bangladesh: the rise of Islamic radicalism in the country, the importance of preserving history, the resilience of people and fragility of democracy, regional cooperation in South Asia, the unusual course sports took in Bangladesh, and much more.

Social accountability along with ‘objectivity and ethics’ in media publications was a requirement for the institutionalisation of democracy in Bangladesh, Information Minister Inu pointed out.

Alluding to the 165-year-long history of The New York Times, the minister said, “This newspaper has earned recognition around the world for its objectivity, ethics and truthfulness.”

“bdnews24.com has also crossed almost 10 years upholding similar values. They maintain objectivity and very carefully follow the issues of ethics,” the minister said.

“In my knowledge, the media have been rising alongside democracy to take a strong stance against the rubbish of the past.This is indeed very good news.”

Khushi Kabir, who spoke on behalf of the contributors, was all praise for the wide array of subject matters the write-ups have touched on.

She said the publication is “a turning point indeed” in the context of Bangladesh media. These writings have portrayed the picture of today's Bangladesh, she added.

“There is no set format, no censorship. It is well-edited. It is truly a splendid journal."

Former BGMEA president Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury and bdnews24.com columnist Julian Francis, recognised as a friend to Bangladesh for his contributions to the 1971 Liberation War, were also present.

bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi hoped ‘Turning Points’ would come out as a favourite among readers for its diverse contents and photographs.

“The bdnews24.com-provided contents of the magazine seek to review 2015 and offer a preview of 2016 while taking a broad look at the social-political-economic scene of Bangladesh,”said Toufique Imrose Khalidi, publisher of the Bangladesh edition of Turning Points.

The “global agenda” content came from The New York Times News Service and Syndicate.

"Turning Points is published in 24 countries, with NYT choosing the best, the biggest or the most credible or the most respected news publisher in a particular country as its partner," he said.

“We are delighted that they chose us and offered us this licence.”

bdnews24.com, Bangladesh’s first Internet newspaper, has been providing as-it-happens news to readers for free for over nine years now. With 100 million page views and 7.5 million unique visitors, bdnews24.com has emerged as one of the most trusted and leading sources of news in Bangladesh.