Reporting as university correspondent
ON March 2, 1971, the then Dhaka University Central Student Union vice-president ASM Abdur Rob hoisted the national flag of Bangladesh for the first time atop the arts building of the university. Only a tenderfoot, Muhammad Jahangir, who began journalism in 1969 as a university correspondent for Dainik Pakistan (later Dainik Bangla in independent Bangladesh), covered the event for his newspaper.
He contributed to the news event on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historical March 7 speech in 1971.
In independent Bangladesh, Jahangir interviewed Bangabandhu's wife and his younger daughter on the eve of his return to the country on January 10, 1972. Jahangir also interviewed the pilot of the plane that brought Bangabandhu.
Muhammad Jahangir was a "university correspondent," like a good number of others who were, are, and will be here at Dhaka University. Dhaka University Journalists' Association is the body of such correspondents.
All the national newspapers and electronics media usually appoint one university correspondent on part-time basis. A studentship at the university is the prerequisite for one to be a university correspondent.
Foundation of the association
Exactly when designated campus reporters began working could not be known, but Mahmud Hasan was university correspondent of the then Pakistan Observer (later Bangladesh Observer) in the 1950s. Mijanur Rahman Shelly succeeded him in 1961. At that time, there were a few university correspondents of other newspapers -- AKM Jalaluddin of Morning News and Mahbub Talukder of Dainik Ittefaq. Morning News is now defunct. Shelly reminisced about his life as a campus reporter in a souvenir of the association, titled "Dateline Dhaka University," that was published in 1989. He said earning extra money was not main attraction of the job. It was beyond that. The job was like an open window to a wide-ranging society and economy that helped them to witness and taste the reality of life while being a student. To bring about unity, a few campus reporters decided to form an association. On September 19 in 1985, the Dhaka University Journalists' Association came into being at the Teacher-Student Centre of the university with 13 founding members of the then leading newspapers. An 11-member executive committee was elected on October 22, 1985, with Harun-ur-Rashid and Rezwanul Haq Raja as president and general secretary, respectively. The office of the association has been furnished with large-screen TV, fax, telephone and other facilities. About the incumbents
Many former members who are now holding senior posts at media houses criticise the incumbents, saying that modern communication systems make the correspondents lazier instead of adding speed. They say that there are fewer in-depth special news items than before. Nowadays correspondents are covering politics, crimes and seminars, but not searching for something special. Zaydul Ahsan Pintu, news coordinator, of Desh TV, in a souvenir of the association -- Punormiloni (Reunion) 2000 -- said there was no way one could deny the contribution of university correspondents. But the quality of campus reporting nowadays has deteriorated. There is an indifferent mood. There are many important news items, but there is lack of effort in looking for them. Only day-to-day events are running. Pintu said that the association, which was formed to improve the quality of campus reporting, had become an institution. Hopefully, it will do better in the future. But political rivalry in the association is unwanted. Most of the reporters communicate with each other over mobile phone, and gather at the association just before office hours and share information and ideas. Many times they even determine which part of an event should be focused! There are always one or two seniors to tell juniors why one particular thing should be given more importance, rather than advising them to develop their own critical senses and follow their own house policy. Some correspondents usually spend their time in the association watching TV and talking over phone. Syndicate reporting is a catastrophe here. One senior makes a copy of a news item, which is then emailed to other correspondents. The next day you see the same news in almost all the newspapers. The seniors roam around like political leaders, surrounded by junior correspondents loyal to them. Most of the juniors are labelled by their loyalty to a senior and political leaning, not only as journalists. These things are making the juniors passive, and preventing them from becoming self-dependant journalists. A number of junior correspondents told us that they did not want to be like this, but they did not know how they could overcome it. Recruitment of university correspondents is based on political and regional identity, or loyalty to seniors. Merit is always less important. Media house bosses do not want a member of any reactionary force to intrude into the house, and some are desperate to prevent boys of any other political leanings from joining. Nowadays, fewer people take up journalism. Power is the main cause for choosing the job. Many believe getting an ID from a newspaper gives you scope to exercise power all over the campus and other places as well. A number of student leaders told me that they try journalism for some time to enhance their position in the party. I know someone who has managed IDs of more than four yet-to-be-published and local newspapers in a desperate attempt to become a university correspondent. He asked me what else he needed to be a member of the association. The most significant feature of the association is probably the factional rivalries among the members. It has been an odd characteristic of the association's members. Factions are based on region, political leanings and "promised job." If you promise one junior a better job, he will become loyal to you. As correspondents reach seniority, they become known for their political leanings -- like pro-BCL, pro-JCD or pro-Shibir, and some as left leaning. Sometimes they are seen to campaign indirectly for their "friends." It is natural that a journalist will also have a political leaning, but it is a concern when his leaning and interests are reflected in his writings. If one observes the pattern of news about the university, most of the time one would see the same political news. There are few items on education and research works of the university. Yes, there are few exceptions. Some reporters struggle against the current. They struggle to work independently to become journalists. Many times they are to face hindrances from their very colleagues and seniors, as they are not conformists. Our salute goes to them. But they need to be more active and work hard to see things critically. Members of the association do not have access to internet, and there is no computer at the association. Although its members will lead the nation in journalism in the coming days, the association has no website and correspondents do not maintain personal blogs. There is no regular publication of the association. However, the incumbent executive committee has taken up initiative to publish a bimonthly magazine, and says that they will launch a website for the association. Almost half of the correspondents are from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, while the rest are from other disciplines. The association has failed to conduct training or workshop on campus reporting. Such a program might be conducted by former members of the association, and would enhance quality reporting and ethical matters. Rezwanul Haq Raja, the association's first general secretary, in its first souvenir in 1986 vowed to create a dignified position for campus reporting. He hoped that the association would give birth to pioneers in journalism. Indeed, the association has been doing its duty. Current pioneers in journalism are the proof.
Exactly when designated campus reporters began working could not be known, but Mahmud Hasan was university correspondent of the then Pakistan Observer (later Bangladesh Observer) in the 1950s. Mijanur Rahman Shelly succeeded him in 1961. At that time, there were a few university correspondents of other newspapers -- AKM Jalaluddin of Morning News and Mahbub Talukder of Dainik Ittefaq. Morning News is now defunct. Shelly reminisced about his life as a campus reporter in a souvenir of the association, titled "Dateline Dhaka University," that was published in 1989. He said earning extra money was not main attraction of the job. It was beyond that. The job was like an open window to a wide-ranging society and economy that helped them to witness and taste the reality of life while being a student. To bring about unity, a few campus reporters decided to form an association. On September 19 in 1985, the Dhaka University Journalists' Association came into being at the Teacher-Student Centre of the university with 13 founding members of the then leading newspapers. An 11-member executive committee was elected on October 22, 1985, with Harun-ur-Rashid and Rezwanul Haq Raja as president and general secretary, respectively. The office of the association has been furnished with large-screen TV, fax, telephone and other facilities. About the incumbents
Many former members who are now holding senior posts at media houses criticise the incumbents, saying that modern communication systems make the correspondents lazier instead of adding speed. They say that there are fewer in-depth special news items than before. Nowadays correspondents are covering politics, crimes and seminars, but not searching for something special. Zaydul Ahsan Pintu, news coordinator, of Desh TV, in a souvenir of the association -- Punormiloni (Reunion) 2000 -- said there was no way one could deny the contribution of university correspondents. But the quality of campus reporting nowadays has deteriorated. There is an indifferent mood. There are many important news items, but there is lack of effort in looking for them. Only day-to-day events are running. Pintu said that the association, which was formed to improve the quality of campus reporting, had become an institution. Hopefully, it will do better in the future. But political rivalry in the association is unwanted. Most of the reporters communicate with each other over mobile phone, and gather at the association just before office hours and share information and ideas. Many times they even determine which part of an event should be focused! There are always one or two seniors to tell juniors why one particular thing should be given more importance, rather than advising them to develop their own critical senses and follow their own house policy. Some correspondents usually spend their time in the association watching TV and talking over phone. Syndicate reporting is a catastrophe here. One senior makes a copy of a news item, which is then emailed to other correspondents. The next day you see the same news in almost all the newspapers. The seniors roam around like political leaders, surrounded by junior correspondents loyal to them. Most of the juniors are labelled by their loyalty to a senior and political leaning, not only as journalists. These things are making the juniors passive, and preventing them from becoming self-dependant journalists. A number of junior correspondents told us that they did not want to be like this, but they did not know how they could overcome it. Recruitment of university correspondents is based on political and regional identity, or loyalty to seniors. Merit is always less important. Media house bosses do not want a member of any reactionary force to intrude into the house, and some are desperate to prevent boys of any other political leanings from joining. Nowadays, fewer people take up journalism. Power is the main cause for choosing the job. Many believe getting an ID from a newspaper gives you scope to exercise power all over the campus and other places as well. A number of student leaders told me that they try journalism for some time to enhance their position in the party. I know someone who has managed IDs of more than four yet-to-be-published and local newspapers in a desperate attempt to become a university correspondent. He asked me what else he needed to be a member of the association. The most significant feature of the association is probably the factional rivalries among the members. It has been an odd characteristic of the association's members. Factions are based on region, political leanings and "promised job." If you promise one junior a better job, he will become loyal to you. As correspondents reach seniority, they become known for their political leanings -- like pro-BCL, pro-JCD or pro-Shibir, and some as left leaning. Sometimes they are seen to campaign indirectly for their "friends." It is natural that a journalist will also have a political leaning, but it is a concern when his leaning and interests are reflected in his writings. If one observes the pattern of news about the university, most of the time one would see the same political news. There are few items on education and research works of the university. Yes, there are few exceptions. Some reporters struggle against the current. They struggle to work independently to become journalists. Many times they are to face hindrances from their very colleagues and seniors, as they are not conformists. Our salute goes to them. But they need to be more active and work hard to see things critically. Members of the association do not have access to internet, and there is no computer at the association. Although its members will lead the nation in journalism in the coming days, the association has no website and correspondents do not maintain personal blogs. There is no regular publication of the association. However, the incumbent executive committee has taken up initiative to publish a bimonthly magazine, and says that they will launch a website for the association. Almost half of the correspondents are from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, while the rest are from other disciplines. The association has failed to conduct training or workshop on campus reporting. Such a program might be conducted by former members of the association, and would enhance quality reporting and ethical matters. Rezwanul Haq Raja, the association's first general secretary, in its first souvenir in 1986 vowed to create a dignified position for campus reporting. He hoped that the association would give birth to pioneers in journalism. Indeed, the association has been doing its duty. Current pioneers in journalism are the proof.
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