11 DU students receive Prof Sitara Parvin Award for academic excellence

A total of 11 students of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University (DU) have received the “Prof Sitara Parvin Award” in recognition of their outstanding results in the 2024 BSS (Honours) final examinations.

DU Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam handed over the awards to the recipients as the chief guest at a ceremony held at the Prof Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium on Thursday.

The programme was presided over by Acting Chairman of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Prof Kazi Mohammad Mahbobor Rahman.

Journalist Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina addressed the event, while Journalism Department Prof Robaet Ferdous and Associate Prof Shaonti Haider presented a brief biography of Prof Sitara Parvin. Retired Prof Ahaduzzaman Mohammad Ali delivered the vote of thanks, and Assistant Prof Marzia Rahman conducted the programme.

In his speech, Prof ABM Obaidul Islam paid deep tribute to the memory of late Prof Sitara Parvin, describing her as an honest, sincere and dedicated teacher and researcher of the university.

He said such awards would inspire students to pursue academic excellence and help them develop knowledge, ethics and humanitarian values. He also urged the recipients to follow the ideals and values of Prof Sitara Parvin and play a significant role in building a prosperous and inclusive society.

The award recipients are Tashahud Ahamed Rafim, Arjita Sutradhar, Md Aktarul Islam, Md Tahmidul Alam, Nawshin Mushtary, Sadia Perveen Aurpa, Sadia Rahman, Sanjana Jebin Chowa, Md Fahim Hasan Mahdi, Anushka Banerjee and Ali Hasan Wahid.

Addressing the ceremony, journalist Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina emphasised the social responsibility of journalism, the importance of representing people's voices and the need to ensure the profession's long-term sustainability.

She said, "Journalism must present the broader context of events and policies by incorporating the experiences and opinions of people from different sections of society. Merely reporting a government policy is not enough; journalists must also highlight how it affects ordinary people and reflect their voices in their reporting."

She noted that individuals often struggle to establish their rights on their own. "Journalism can bring people together around important issues, enabling them to participate in decision-making, engage in debates, express dissent and raise demands. In this way, journalism can help people establish their rights and bring about social change," she said.

Highlighting the importance of financial independence in journalism, she said a strong economic foundation is essential for media outlets to perform their responsibilities independently.

She noted that advertising revenue was becoming increasingly difficult to secure, particularly for online media outlets. As a result, journalism was gradually becoming more audience-oriented, requiring media organisations to engage readers, earn their trust and secure their support.

She stressed that financial sustainability was not merely a matter of business success but also a crucial condition for ensuring editorial independence.

Addressing the students, she said, "For journalism and journalists to survive, they must remain connected to the people and serve their interests."

She expressed hope that young graduates would work for the welfare of people and join hands with them to sustain journalism.

Referring to the growing reluctance among young people to enter journalism and the tendency of some professionals to leave the field, she acknowledged that several factors were responsible. However, she said the satisfaction of serving people through journalism was priceless.

Describing journalism as an essential profession for individuals and society, she urged young journalists to remain committed to their responsibilities and continue working with dedication.

Notably, Prof Sitara Parvin, daughter of former President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed and wife of retired DU Prof Ahaduzzaman Mohammad Ali, died in a tragic road accident in the United States on 23 June 2005.