DRU Celebrates 31st Anniversary Pledging Media Autonomy

DHAKA: Anchored by the theme '31 Years of Unity and Prosperity', the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), the apex platform for operational beat reporters in the capital, marked its 31st founding anniversary amid grand festivities on Thursday, 10 September 2026. The commemorative events took place across the organization's premises in Segunbagicha, drawing media practitioners, political leaders, and state dignitaries.

The celebrations commenced at 10:00 AM with the hoisting of the national and organizational flags, followed by an inaugural pigeon release by BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, who commended DRU’s historical resilience against digital security curbs and censorship. An anniversary rally followed, chaired by DRU President Abu Saleh Akon and moderated by General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel.

Addressing the gathering in his first formal engagement with journalists as Information and Broadcasting Minister, Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partha stated, "The democratic resilience of modern Bangladesh owes a great deal to the courage of frontline reporters. The government possesses no intent to interfere with media freedom or operational journalistic autonomy; journalists will operate in an unhindered media ecosystem."

Local Government and Rural Development Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan highlighted professional journalism as the fourth estate and one of the most demanding vocations in public service. State Minister for Information Yasir Khan Chowdhury announced that the ministry is actively moving to expand budgetary reserves for the Bangladesh Journalists' Welfare Trust from BDT 6 crore to BDT 25 crore to reinforce social security nets for media personnel. Concurrently, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque pledged dedicated institutional seed capital to subsidize and scale DRU’s annual sports events.

The memorial segment acknowledged the ultimate sacrifice of six journalists killed during the July mass uprising, addressed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer. High-level interventions were also delivered by State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh (Saleh Shibly), senior journalist Shafik Rehman, PIB Director General Faruk Wasif, and National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz. The anniversary culminated with a celebratory cake-cutting ceremony, trade receptions, and cultural performances by eminent artists.

//DBTech/NAP/SME/MIST//