7 journalists honored with ‘Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award’

Seven journalists from different media have been honored with the Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award-2025 in recognition of their outstanding reporting on Bangladesh’s agriculture and agro-processing sectors. 

 

The awards were handed over at a ceremony held on Saturday at the MCCI Conference Room in Gulshan, Dhaka.

 

The award winners are Sukanta Halder of The Daily Star, Rafikul Islam and M. Munir Hossain of The Daily Sun in the Print Media category. In the Television category, the winners are Delowar Hossain Dolon of Channel 24 and Rakib Hossain of Ekattor TV. In the online media category, the award winners are Nazmul Hossain of Jagonews24.com and Shariful Rukon of Ekusheypatrika.com.

 

The awards were handed over by Zahir Uddin Swapon, Information and Broadcasting Minister. 

 

Among the distinguished guests, Hasan Hafiz, President of the National Press Club, Eleash Mridha, Managing Director, PRAN Group and Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director-Marketing, also attended the prize-giving ceremony.

 

The Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award has been introduced for the first time by PRAN Group, the country's leading agro-processing company, to recognize journalists who have made significant contributions through their reporting on agriculture and agro-processing. 

 

Under this initiative, seven journalists were awarded for their outstanding reports published in 2025 across the print, television, and online media categories.

 

The winners were selected by a three-member jury board based on special reports focusing on the agro-processing sector. 

 

The jury board members are Professor Robaet Ferdous of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at University of Dhaka, Khurshid Ahmad Farhad, General Manager of Bombay Sweets & Co. Ltd., and Mohammad Touhidul Islam, Director of Outreach and Communication at Transparency International Bangladesh

 

Speaking at the event, Zahir Uddin Swapon said, “the development of agriculture and agro-industry is highly important for Bangladesh's agriculture-based economy.

 

He thanked PRAN Group for taking such an initiative, adding that this kind of arrangement is not merely a formality; rather, it reflects thoughtful planning and a far-reaching vision. 

 

The minister noted that agriculture makes a significant contribution to the country's GDP, employment generation, and overall economy.

 

Congratulating the award-winning journalists, he urged other media professionals to produce more investigative reports on the prospects of the agricultural economy and agro-industries.

 

He also said that the Ministry of Information would take initiatives to compile such reports and convey recommendations to the relevant policymakers.

 

The minister added that initiatives like this serve not only as encouragement for journalists but also as an incentive for the country's economy as a whole.

 

Eleash Mridha said, “The agro-processing sector is one of the most promising industries in Bangladesh. With proper guidance and support, it can play an even greater role in the country's economic development and emerge as a major export sector after the readymade garments industry. 

 

He also announced that the Bangladesh Agro-Industry Media Award will continue to be organized regularly in the coming years.