Prothom Alo has kept up its progress and its commitment to the readers amid various obstacles. The daily’s employees have carried out multiple tasks despite the coronavirus outbreak. The coming year 2022 will bring with it new challenges but Prothom Alo will continue its journey forward. The daily will remain by the side of its employees and their families on this journey.
These commitments were made as Prothom Alo celebrated its 23rd anniversary on Thursday, 4 November. A virtual meeting was held in the afternoon with the participation of the daily’s employees. Senior employees joined the programme from Prothom Alo’s conference room at Pragati Insurance Building in the city’s Karwan Bazar while the employees from different parts of the country joined virtually. There are 924 employees of Prothom Alo right now.
Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman said, it was a tough time for us in 2020 and 2021 but Prothom Alo employees continued with their diverse work during this period. Prothom Alo is making immense progress despite all odds. This could not have been possible without the support from the families of the employees. Prothom Alo will stay by their sides through thick and thin.
He said Prothom Alo is not just a newspaper, rather it’s the biggest media house in the country. The readers have trust in this newspaper. We are thinking about how to improve Prothom Alo further in the coming days. It’s imperative to bring new ideas for doing better in the future.
Prothom Alo family lost three of its members—Mizanur Rahman Khan, Arun Basu and Abul Kalam Azad--this year. Their demise was an irreparable loss to Prothom Alo. The daily’s senior employees visited the houses of these three employees and spent some time with them. The programme started by screening a documentary in their remembrance.
Conducting the programme, feature editor Sumana Sharmin said this year’s anniversary programme has been celebrated a bit differently. Programmes were arranged on each floor where employees took part enthusiatically.
Prothom Alo started to throng the office in the morning. The men wore T-shirts and female employees carried their shawls. Editor Matiur Rahman and other senior employees visited each floor of the Prothom Alo’s head office at Pragati Insurance Building and its adjacent own building. They cut cakes and enjoy the performances of employees on each floor.
A three-panel judge consisting of Prothom Alo associate editor and Biggan Chinta’s editor Abdul Quayyum, head of content (English web) Ayesha Kabir and advertisement (sales) department’s assistant manager Umana Islam evaluated the performance of each floor and awarded three floors for their performances.
Prothom Alo organised a quiz to mark the anniversary titled ‘Prothom Alo ke kotota jani’. Abdul Muhaimen, Bipasha Bala Shanta and Lipi Rani Saha won the first, second and third prizes of the quiz. Prothom Alo also organises quizzes on the Liberation War for its employees every month. Names of the winners of September’s quiz were also announced.
Best employees
Names of the best employees in various departments of Prothom Alo were announced at the programme.
Special correspondent Shishir Moral and senior correspondent Rozina Islam became the best reporter of 2021. Senior correspondent Mustak Ahmed was adjudged as the best employee of the integrated reporting department while senior sub-editor Md Rashedul Alam and assistant news editor Md Mahfuzer Rahman Sarker were the best employees of the integrated news department. Senior sub-editor Tapati Barman became the best employee of the integrated Bishal Bangla (country) department.
Md Shanaullah Sakib was the best employee of the integrated business department, senior sub-editor Md Solaiman in the integrated sports reporting, joint editor Sohrab Hassan in integrated editorial department, Md Mahhfuz Rahmaan in the feature department, Firoz Akter Zaman Choudhury in special affairs, Galib Ashraf in English web, Suvra Kanti Das in the photography department, news graphics in-charge Md Awrongozeb in arts and graphics department, deputy manager AFM Khayrul Bashar in digital business, deputy manager Md Moniruzzman and assistant manager Narmada Das in the advertisement sales department and assistant manager Md Rasel Rana became the best employee of the circulation sales department.
Manager Rupak Ranjan Saha was adjudged as the best employee of the accounting department, assistant manager Md Baizid Bhuiyan in youth activities and events, transport supervisor Ekramul Haque in administration, senior reporter Md Masud Parvez in Chattogram office, assistant editor Md Mosabber Hossain in current affairs: Bangladesh and world and coordinator (magazine) Md Shahadat Faiz was the best employee of Kishor Alo.
Ayesha Kabir, head of content, English web, and Adar Rahman, content officer (Chorki), received special recognition. M Jasim Uddin, staff correspondent, Barishal, FAM Mahbubur Rahman, staff correspondent, Noakhali, and Md Rashedul Haque, correspond, Goalanda, ware adjudged as the best correspondent.
A conference for well-wishers was organised in Bogura on the occasion of Prothom Alo’s anniversary. Government Azizul Haque College principal Shahjahan Ali, additional deputy commissioner Masum Ali Beg, additional superintendent of police Ali Haider Chowdhury, Daily Karatoa editor Mozammel Hoque, poet and essayist Bazlul Karim Bahar, writer and essayist Shoaib Shahriar, Government Mujibur Rahman Women’s Collage principal Zohora Wahida Rahman, physician Arshad Sayeed and Bogura Press Club president Mahmudul Alam and businessperson Syed Ahammed, among others, spoke at the programme.
Wishes pour in
Top officials and representatives of various organisations, companies, business groups, banks and financial institutions visited the Prothom Alo office at the capital’s Karwan Bazar throughout on the occasion of its 23rd anniversary. They wished Prothom Alo a smooth journey in the coming days.
Pragati Insurance Limited, Sonali Bank, Padma Bank, Social Islamic Bank Limited, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, Premier Bank, IDLC, Dhaka Bank, NCC Bank, Mercantile Bank, Bangladesh Finance, National Life Insurance Limited, Crown Cement Group, Walton, Sohoj, Global Brand Private Limited, Arla Foods, Swopner PR and Media, Pran RFL, Edison Real Estate, Bproperty, Master Racks & Furniture, Upay, Eastern University, ZOOM Touch world, Info Power, Oppo, Realme, Symphony, Info Power Strategic Communication, Grow and Excel, Grey Media, Maatra, Unitrade Limited, Forethought PR, Prochito Imc Ltd, Annex Communication and Mediaquest, among the companies, wished Prothom Alo its anniversary.
Different news media and organisations including Ajker Patrika, Banglavision, Nagorik TV, Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union (BFUJ), Dhaka Newspapers Hawkers Multipurpose Limited, Economic Reporters Forum, among others, greeted Prothom Alo on its anniversary.
Kay Kraft, Travellets of Bangladesh-Bhromonkonnya, Bangladesh Open Source Network, Bangladesh Biggan Jonopriyokoron Samity, Bangladesh Jonosongjog Samity and Gaan Bangla also greeted Prothom Alo.
They said Prothom Alo continues to march forward and practice good journalism despite many barriers. Prothom Alo always speaks for people and will do so in future. Prothom Alo does not back off from good journalism in face of any adversity for publishing objective news.
They expected Prothom Alo would continue the objective journalism that the daily started since its inception. Prothom Alo would perform better in the coming days and they would be next to the daily during its journey.