45 recognised for reports on child rights

Unicef Bangladesh yesterday recognised 45 media professionals for reporting on child rights, through handing over the Meena Media Award at a city hotel.

The winners were selected from 76 nominees in 14 categories, with the total number of entries rising to 1,000 this year.

The awards were given in seven categories, including print/online, visual, radio and news photography. All categories except news photography were divided in two age groups -- under 18 and above 18, and three winners were chosen in each category.

First prize winners received Tk 50,000, second prize winners Tk 25,000 and third prize winners Tk 15,000.

Participants from Dhaka and outside brought attention to issues affecting children across the country in their reports and creative works. They wrote and published on child marriage, religious bigotry, child healthcare, adolescence and so on.

The award ceremony also featured a musical performance by popular rock band Warfaze, and song and dance performances by a group of disadvantaged children from a Unicef-supported project.

A 12-member jury comprising of leading creative writers, veteran media professionals both from print and broadcast media, photographers and academics assessed the entries. Speaking at the ceremony, Unicef Bangladesh representative Tomoo Hozumi said, “Media plays a critical role in development of any society. It highlights progresses, but at the same time, points out newly-emerging challenges.”

Unicef Bangladesh Goodwill Ambassadors Arifa Zaman Moushumi, Jewel Aich and ace cricketer Shakib Al Hasan were present and handed over crests to the winners.