10 awarded for hermaphrodites' plight reporting

Ten journalists were awarded yesterday for reporting on hermaphrodites, their rights and the discrimination they face in the society.

Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWS) awarded the journalists with “Bandhu Media Fellowship Award 2014” at a ceremony at The Daily Star Centre in the capital. Award winners received a crest, a certificate and Tk 50,000 each.

From electronic media, Karamot Ullah Biplob, special correspondent at ATN Bangla; Akhil Poddar, chief of crime news section at ETV; Gazi Salahuddin Mahmud, special correspondent at SATV; Atika Rahman, staff reporter at Rtv; and Shahnaz Sharmeen, senior reporter at ABC Radio, were awarded.

Winners from print media were M Mamun Hossain, senior reporter at the daily Jai Jai Din; Delowar Jahan, staff reporter at the Daily Shokaler Khabor; and Barek Kaiser, staff reporter at the Daily Ittefaq. Winners from online media were Shariful Islam Palash, special correspondent at amadershomoy.com and Faisal Abdullah, senior sub-editor at banglatribune.com.               

As a part of its objective to establish human rights of sexual minorities in the country, BSWS has been conferring the award on journalists since 2011.

Speaking as the chief guest, Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah said, “Discrimination against hijra people starts at the moment of their birth and continues till their death.”