Launching ceremony of NOAB held

The launching ceremony of the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) was held yesterday at a city hotel.

Eminent personalities including ministers, politicians from both government and opposition, top businessmen, artists, writers, civil society members, diplomats, renowned journalists and representatives from all leading advertising agencies and hawkers unions were present at the ceremony, held at Sheraton Hotel last evening.

Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed, Industries Minister MK Anwar, Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Fisheries and Live Stock Minister and Mayor of Dhaka City Sadeque Hossain Khoka,

Land Minister M Shamsul Islam, Science and Technology Minister Moin Khan, Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas, Shipping Minister Akber Hossain, State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and State Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud were present at the ceremony.

Awami League leader and former finance minister Shah A M S Kibria, Jatiya Party leader and former communication minister Anwar Hossain Monju MP, Gano Forum leader Saifuddin Manik, Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Abdul Kader Mollah, 11-party leader Nirmal Sen and AMS Abdur Rab also attended the ceremony.

Eminent writer Syed Shamsul Haq, journalists Ataus Samad, ABM Musa and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, drama artists Mamunur Rashid, Sara Zaker and Kabari Sarwar and singer Shakila Zafar were also present at the ceremony.

Ambassadors of the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Turkey and the European Union were present among others. A press councillor represented the Indian High Commissioner on the occasion.

Leading businessmen, representatives of chambers and professional bodies, intellectuals and civil society members also attended the ceremony.

The NOAB is a joint initiative of 19 leading newspapers of the country -- Ajker Kagoj, Bhorer Kagoj, Banglabazar Patrika, Dainik Azadi, Dainik Dinkal, Dainik Inqilab, Dainik Ittefaq, Dainik Purbakone, Dainik Purbanchal, Dainik Sangram, Dainik Janakantha, Jugantor, Karatoa, Manavzamin, Prothom Alo, Sangbad, The Daily Star, The Financial Express and The Independent, aiming at promoting the newspaper industry.