Journalists urged to project country's image properly

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury yesterday urged journalists to properly project the country's image both at home and abroad, reports BSS.

"Journalists can help in building a good image of the nation and project it inside the country and beyond the border," Abul Hasan said while briefing members of a media team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before their departure for Calcutta.

A group of about fifty journalists, representing different leading dailies and news agencies of the country, left Dhaka yesterday morning on two BRTC buses for Calcutta to cover the book fair there.

The trip has been organised by the External Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the 24th Calcutta Book Fair as the chief guest on Wednesday.

Bangladesh has been designated the theme country for this year's prestigious Calcutta Book Fair. Apart from all the states of India, 12 countries are participating in the fair, said to be the world's second largest after Frankfurt Book Fair.

The state minister said selection of Bangladesh as the theme country is a great honour for all of us. Therefore, efforts should be made from all quarters to uphold this honour, he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also attend the ceremonial opening of 'Bangladesh Gate' and Bangladesh pavilion at the fair.

The organisers have allocated five thousand square feet for the Bangladesh pavilion. About one lakh books of nearly five thousand titles have been taken to Calcutta for the fair, a source at the Bangladesh Publishers' Association foreign office sources said. Five books by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also be on display.

Besides the fair, the journalists will cover the Prime Minister's other activities in West Bengal which include a visit to Shanti Niketan to receive an honorary degree.