The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

An opinion exchange meeting between the journalists of electronic and print media and the officials of BRAC University was held at local hotel on Thursday.

Golam Kibria, Manzur Elahi Sibli and Zahid Hossain officials of university briefed the newsmen of Barisal about opening 'centere for Journalism' and replied to queries of reporters. The meeting observed lack of in-depth reporting for various reasons, including limitations.

A world class 'centre for Journalism' can play vital role providing essential training, education, monitoring, researchand supports for working journalists to remove the problems.

The United States Ahency for International Development(UNAID) has taken the initiative to undertake a four-year project dubbed 'Promoting Governance, accountability, Transparency and Integrity(PROGOTI) designed to assist Bangladesh fight against corruption by strengthening public oversight of the government fund.

The selected Institute of Governance Studies(IGS) and BRAC to host the ' Center for Journalism' in Bangladesh under this project based on an assessment of 16 local organizations using clear criteria including reputation, experience and stability, the officials informed.

Investigative reporting in print media and electronic media, reporting and modern technology, community radio were suggested as themes for the planned training.

The center hopes to publish annual media report, carry out research on journalism and media to make environment better and enable journalists to carry out in-depth and investigative reporting and introduce fee-based training, certificate and diploma and credit course for under graduates in the field of mass communication. A non-partisan advisory board to provide long-term guidance to the centre would be formulated through discussion with media managers, senior reporters and academics, they assured.

In response to the present ideas and briefing, local journalists agreed about the need for professional training, academic courses and researches called to assist the media houses in developing professional journalism outside Dhaka by ensuring better and efficient in-house atmosphere and financial conditions.

They also stressed maintaining rules, laws and ethical values in journalism with objectivesness and introduceon-line, open university type basic and advance courses on journalism, information technology, and English language for the journalists outside Dhaka considering their academic, financial and professional limitations.