Three Hello journalists of bdnews24.com get Unicef’s Meena Media Award

As many as 48 journalists, including three of bdnews24.com’s Hello, have won Unicef’s ‘Meena Media Award 2016’ for reports and photography on children's rights issues in the media.

The three with children journalists-run web portal hello.bdnews24.com are Sheikh Sharfuddin Reza Ali Chowdhury, Ruhin Ahmed and Sadik Evan.

Chowdhury bagged the first place in the under-18 print and online media creative category for reporting.

Ahmed secured the first place in the under-18 print and online media reports category. In the same category, Evan bagged the second place.

Sheikh Surfuddin Reza of bdnews24.com's Hello, a children journalists-run web portal, receives Unicef's Meena Media Award 2016 at Dhaka's Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday. Photo: asif mahmud ove

All their reports were published on the web portal earlier this year.

Evan also secured third place in the under-18 radio reports category for his report on Asian Radio.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu handed over the prizes to all the awardees at an event in Dhaka's Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday.

Along with crests and certificates, the first prize was Tk 50,000, second prize Tk 25,000 and third prize Tk 15,000.

After the ceremony, the three Hello journalists met bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi at the offices of Bangladesh’s first internet-only newspaper.

The three award-winning Hello journalists with the bdnews24.com chief editor

Khalidi congratulated them and hoped their achievements would inspire the others.

Hello, Bangladesh's first-ever specialised Bangla news website for children, is the result of a joint initiative between bdnews24.com and Unicef.

Children under the age of 18 are trained in journalism under the initiative to highlight children’s opinions and aspirations in mainstream media.

Another joint initiative by the two organisations is Prism, the world’s first-ever video news service by children.

Sadik Evan of bdnews24.com's Hello, a children journalists-run web portal, receives Unicef's Meena Media Award 2016 at Dhaka's Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday. Photo: asif mahmud ove

Any child aspiring to be a journalist can contact Hello and Prism by sending emails at [e-mail] and [e-mail] to send reports, photos or video contents.

At the awards-giving ceremony, Minister Inu said children, specially girls, can bring about changes in society if they are allowed to grow up under proper care. "They also should be given the opportunity."

He urged the parents to nurture children's dreams but also teach them to be realistic.

Unicef representative Dzidula Masiku and Chief of Communication, Advocacy and Partnership Section Shima Islam, too, addressed the ceremony.