Prothom Alo will continue to reveal truth with courage

Editor Matiur Rahman has stated that Prothom Alo will continue to courageously report the truth.

Speaking at the staff conference organised to mark the 27th anniversary of Prothom Alo, he said, “Keeping in mind the Liberation War, nationalism, progressiveness, and secularism, we must continue our work in the days ahead. We will not retreat. We must seek new paths.”

The staff conference was held on Tuesday morning at the auditorium of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Khamarbari, Dhaka. Along with all employees of Prothom Alo’s Dhaka office, representatives from every district and sub-district across the country attended. Representatives from London (UK), Hanover (Germany), Sydney (Australia), and Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai (India) also joined the conference.

At this conference, attended by over 800 members of the Prothom Alo family, Editor Matiur Rahman highlighted the important milestones of the newspaper’s 27-year journey. Emphasising steadfastness in courageous journalism through the pursuit of truth, he discussed the current challenges facing journalists. He provided guidance on how to continue reporting the truth bravely in the days ahead.

Reflecting on the aspirations for good governance and a democratic Bangladesh, Matiur Rahman said, “We must uphold our progressiveness and the ideals of the Liberation War. The struggle to establish democracy must continue. Efforts for national consensus and unity must also persist.”
He noted that Prothom Alo’s focus has always been—and will continue to be—on the success, progress, and development of Bangladesh.

“Beyond this, Prothom Alo has no other agenda, and there will be none in the future. We seek democracy, the rule of law, social consensus, and national unity. These are our agenda. We want improvement in the lives of workers and farmers, women’s rights, and victory for Bangladesh in all spheres,” he added.

To achieve these goals, Prothom Alo’s editor emphasized the importance of truthful reporting and courageous journalism. He said, “We must demonstrate the courage of truth.”

Matiur Rahman also called on the staff to play a role in fostering critical thinking in society. He stated, “In our country, critical thinking is declining. New ideas are not being generated. We must teach the new generation to think. We need to express established ideas in new ways, acknowledge our mistakes, and move forward. We face many challenges, but there are also opportunities. If we think collectively, it is possible to find new paths.”

Commenting on Prothom Alo’s journey, Editor Matiur Rahman said, “We have never aligned with any political party, nor maintained any connections abroad. We are independent, and that is our strength.”

Reflecting on past challenges from government pressure and political adversity, he added, “Our office has been attacked, cases have been filed against us. But we have not been afraid. We have continued our work as usual, because we do not commit any wrongdoing. We do not intentionally make mistakes. If we stand for the truth, there is nothing to fear. Attacks may come, cases may be filed, but the truth cannot be stopped.”

Highlighting transparency, Matiur Rahman noted that both Prothom Alo and he personally have been recognised eight times as “Best Taxpayer” in the media category.

He said, “Our accounts of income and expenditure are completely clear. This is a source of our courage. In the future as well, we will move forward with the belief that truth itself is courage.”