We will continue to reveal the truth: Matiur Rahman
Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman said, “Prothom Alo was committed to independent journalism from the very beginning. This journey was not an easy one since many obstacles came along the way. No government ever take the truth easily. Prothom Alo has survived and will continue to survive due to its strength in revealing the truth. We will continue to reveal truth.”
The Prothom Alo editor said this while speaking at an event marking the 24th founding anniversary of the daily.
Prothom Alo employees from Dhaka office as well as from all over the country joined the event at Krishibid Institution auditorium in city.
Matiur Rahman recalled Transcom Group’s deceased chairman Latifur Rahman at the beginning of his speech.
“Prothom Alo was published for the first time on 4 November 1998 with Latifur Rahman as chief patron. Mahfuz Anam was with him. Our goal from the beginning was independent journalism and becoming self-reliant. We had 106 staff members at that time, and now are a family of 1030 employees. Our total office space was 6,000 square feet but now it is 70,000 sft.”
Mentioning that Prothom Alo’s journey was not easy, Matiur Rahman said, “We are threatened, pressuriaed and arrest warrants are even issued against us. Our employees get attacked and face cases. Pressure comes from invisible places, advertisements are blocked. We face open threats from the government high-ups. Yet we move forward defying all odds.”
Matiur Rahman said he visited the Prothom Alo Char in Kurigram and Kushtia’s Kumarkhali to take part in the anniversary events. He shared the story of ‘Prothom Alo Char’ in a remote area of Kurigram battered by floods in 1999. The school founded in the char now has 266 students. Prothom Alo Trust runs the school now.
Prothom Alo editor and publisher Matiur Rahman said, “A newspaper named Grambarta Prakashika was published from Kumarkhali in 1863. The newspaper would write against British colonial forces and zemindars. The newspaper faced immense repression for that stance. But people stood against that repression, Lalon Sai took up resistance along with people. Grambarta Prakashika was closed over and again due to such repression. But the newspaper could not survive. But Prothom Alo survived and we would continue honest and independent journalism.”
Kalasindur is a remote village along the Indian border in Mymensingh’s Dhobaura upazila. Eight girls from the village represented Bangladesh women football team that won SAFF Championship. Matiur Rahman shared with audience how Prothom Alo stood by the women footballers of the village.
He said, Prothom Alo had provided scholarships to 25 girls of the village for around three years. Prothom Alo assisted in constructing a school building and ensuring electrification of the village.
Matiur Rahman said this is the best time for doing investigative journalism, covering humane and success stories.
He urged Prothom Alo employees to do better journalism ahead of 25th founding anniversary.
Prothom Alo editor said the readers' aspirations have been changing nowadays.
“Online-digital has ushered a new horizon. We are in this era. We have to grow bigger in this field. We have to learn new subjects and strategies. We have to strive for new thinking, new strategy and skills.”
Prothom Alo has been celebrating its 24rd anniversary through various events in and outside Dhaka with the slogan ‘Shotte Totthe 24’ (Truth and News 24).
The male employees clad in navy blue T-shirts and women in blue sarees thronged the event venue from the morning. The day-long festivities included cultural performances by the employees, speeches of dignitaries and an award ceremony.