Somosti Media Communication & Development Foundation

27/05/2026

17/04/2026

Speakers call for stronger media–civil society collaboration to amplify marginalized voices
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At a national seminar held in Dhaka, on Thursday (April 16), speakers emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between civil society organizations and the media to ensure more consistent, in-depth, and representative coverage of marginalized communities in Bangladesh.

The seminar, organized by Somosti under the under the European Union co-financed ‘Expanding Civic Space through Active CSO Participation and Strengthened Governance System in Bangladesh (ECSAP)’ project, implemented by Christian Aid in partnership with Manusher Jonno Foundation and WE CAN Bangladesh, highlighted key findings from a recent study.

State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, MP, attended as chief guest and said: “Policy-making can be made more effective based on accurate information. A strong bridge between development organizations, civil society, and the media is needed to ensure the flow of information.”

She added, “Work for marginalized communities is not charity, sustainable development is not possible without them.”

The study found that coverage of marginalized issues remains largely irregular and event-driven, with limited depth and community voice. It also pointed to informal and project-based engagement between CSOs and media, highlighting the need for more structured and sustained collaboration.

Speakers at the event included Barrister Md. Khalilur Rahman Khan, Director General, NGO Affairs Bureau; Mohammad Hiruzzaman, Director General, National Institute of Mass Communication, Laila Jasmin Banu, Programme Manager, European Union; Dr. Susan Vize, UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh; Nuzhat Jabin, Partnership and Strategy Lead–Asia, Christian Aid; Shaheen Anam, Executive Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation; Reaz Ahmad, Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

Mir Masruruzzaman, Executive Director of Somosti, delivered the welcome remarks and moderated the event, while Rezaul Haque, Research Director of Somosti, presented the summary findings of the research.

Participants called for continued dialogue and coordinated action among civil society, media, government, and development partners to strengthen inclusive public discourse and accountability.

29/03/2026

Govt to include drowning prevention in budget

Dhaka, March 29, 2026: The government has pledged to allocate budgetary resources and integrate drowning prevention into national policies to address child deaths in Bangladesh.

Speaking as chief guest at a policy dialogue held at Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Mr. Fakhr Uddin Ahmed MP said, “Ensuring the safety of our future generation—our children—is one of the highest priorities of our government. On average, around 40 children die from drowning every day in Bangladesh. This is not just a statistic; it represents the shattered dreams of 40 families. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children aged 1–5 years. It has now become a national crisis.”

The policy dialogue on “Sustainable Public Financing for Drowning Prevention,” organised by Somosti Media Communication & Development Foundation with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), brought together policymakers, experts and development partners.

A policy brief presented at the event highlighted that more than 14,000 children die from drowning each year, despite the availability of proven interventions such as community-based childcare centres and swimming training. However, these initiatives remain largely project-based and are not included in long-term government budgets, limiting their continuity and scale.

Participants stressed the need for sustained public financing, stronger coordination and expansion of proven interventions to reduce preventable child deaths from drowning.

12/03/2026

Stronger collaboration between media and civil society is essential to amplify the voices of marginalized communities in Bangladesh
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A roundtable titled “CSO–Media Collaboration: Amplifying Marginalized Voice” was held in Dhaka on March 11. The event was organized by Somosti Media Communication & Development Foundation and Safety and Rights Society (SRS) in partnership with Dhaka Tribune, with support from Christian Aid Bangladesh under the Expanding Civic Space through Active CSO Participation and Strengthened Governance System in Bangladesh (ECSAP) project.
The event brought together journalists, civil society leaders, researchers, development practitioners and representatives from marginalized communities to discuss gaps in media representation and explore ways to strengthen evidence-based and rights-sensitive reporting.

The roundtable began with a welcome address by Mir Attaqui Masruruzzaman, Executive Director of Somosti Media Communication & Development Foundation and Chief News Editor of Channel i, who provided the background and context of the research. He emphasized that civic space is not only about legal rights or institutional structures. It is also shaped by how communities are represented in public discourse and whether their voices are visible in media narratives.

The key research findings were presented by Rezaul Haque, Research & Communication Director of Somost, who shared insights from a national study on media representation and civic space in Bangladesh.

The research, based on surveys, interviews, media analysis and field discussions, reveals a significant representation gap in media coverage of marginalized communities.

Key findings from the research include:
- 68 percent of respondents said issues affecting marginalized communities receive little or no visibility in the media.
- 64 percent believe that the media gives insufficient importance to their concerns.
- 58 percent feel their communities are not represented accurately in media reporting.

The study also shows uneven representation among different marginalized groups. Ethnic and Indigenous communities account for about 36 percent of coverage, persons with disabilities around 22 percent, while Dalit communities receive only about 4 percent and gender-diverse communities about 2 percent of coverage.
Participants also noted that women from marginalized communities are often portrayed mainly as victims rather than as leaders or rights-holders. This highlights the need for more gender-sensitive and intersectional journalism.

The research also indicates the importance of district-level media. About 70 to 79 percent of their coverage focuses on local issues, yet engagement between civil society organizations and district media remains limited.

The study further highlights that marginalized communities in Bangladesh are not only economically excluded. They are also often excluded from narratives in public discourse and media representation.

Speakers at the event stressed that collaboration between civil society and media must move beyond occasional project events. Sustained engagement, evidence-based storytelling and rights-sensitive reporting are needed to ensure that marginalized voices receive greater visibility in national discussions.

Reaz Ahmad, Editor of Dhaka Tribune, moderated the event who emphasized that regular engagement between journalists and civil society actors can help bring real community experiences into public discourse.

Participants also discussed several challenges, including project-based engagement, editorial gatekeeping, political sensitivities and limited budgets for field reporting.
The roundtable included distinguished personalities from academia, media and civil society, including:

Nuzhat Jabin, Christian Aid Bangladesh
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS)
Jinat Ara Haque, WE Can Bangladesh
AKM Nasim, Solidarity CenterProfessor
Dr SM Shameem Reza, University of Dhaka
Sohrab Hasan, Chocha.com
Zahid Newaz Khan, Channel i
Salma Yasmin, BanglaVision
Abdullah Gias Uddin Ahmed, Manusher Jonno Foundation
Sekendar Ali Mena, SRS
Daulat Akter Mala, Economic Reporters Forum Bangladesh
Mehadi Hasan, Radio Polli Kontho
Abu Naser Monju, Noakhali Press Club
Monika Soren, Santal community member
Kabery Sultana, Dhaka Tribune
Tonusree Ahamed Amoe, Sushto Jibon

The discussion concluded with a shared understanding that stronger collaboration among media, civil society, academia and development partners is essential to ensure that marginalized voices become visible in public discourse and policy debate.

Photo Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune

23/02/2026

🌍 Media Fellowship Highlight | Disability Equality in the Media

We are pleased to share another insightful report published in Bangla Affairs, authored by Media Fellow Rita Bhowmick, Senior Reporter. The story was produced under the project “Disability Equality in the Media”, implemented by SoMaSHTe with support from the UNESCO Dhaka Office.

📰 প্রবেশগম্যতা বৃদ্ধিতে উদ্ভাবনী ও ডিজিটাল উদ্যোগ–২
প্রযুক্তিতে সহজ প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তির জীবন

🔗 Read the full report:
https://banglaaffairs.com/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%9C-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D/

এই প্রতিবেদনে প্রযুক্তি ও উদ্ভাবনের মাধ্যমে প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিদের জীবন কীভাবে সহজতর হচ্ছে তা বাস্তব অভিজ্ঞতার আলোকে তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। স্মার্ট স্টিক ও স্মার্ট হুইলচেয়ারের মতো উদ্ভাবন দৃষ্টি ও শারীরিক প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিদের চলাচলে নতুন সম্ভাবনা সৃষ্টি করছে। একইসাথে গবেষণা, স্টার্টআপ ও নীতিগত সহায়তার প্রয়োজনীয়তার কথাও প্রতিবেদনে স্পষ্ট হয়েছে। উদ্ভাবনকে টেকসই ও সবার নাগালে পৌঁছে দিতে সমন্বিত উদ্যোগের গুরুত্ব এখানে জোরালোভাবে উঠে এসেছে।

Brief in English:
This report highlights how digital innovation is transforming the daily lives of persons with disabilities through smart assistive technologies. From smart sticks for visually impaired individuals to smart wheelchairs for persons with physical disabilities, the story showcases practical solutions developed by researchers and startups. It also emphasizes the importance of sustainable funding, policy support, and collaboration to bring these innovations to scale. The report presents a hopeful vision of inclusive technology driving meaningful social change.

👏 Congratulations to Rita Bhowmick for her forward-looking, solution-oriented journalism that promotes innovation, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

বর্তমান বিশ্বায়নে বিভিন্ন ধরনের প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিকে চিহ্নিত করা যেমন অনেকটাই সহজ। পাশাপাশি ডিজিটাল উদ্ভাবনী.....

22/02/2026

🌐 Media Fellowship Highlight | Disability Equality in the Media

We are pleased to share another impactful report published in Bangla Affairs, authored by our Media Fellow Rita Bhowmick, Senior Reporter. The report was produced under the project “Disability Equality in the Media”, implemented by SoMaSHTe with support from the UNESCO Dhaka Office.

📰 প্রবেশগম্যতা বৃদ্ধিতে উদ্ভাবনী ও ডিজিটাল উদ্যোগ: বাংলা ভাষায় প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিদের শিক্ষা সমৃদ্ধ করতে নানা প্রচেষ্টা

🔗 Read the full report:
https://banglaaffairs.com/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%80/

এই প্রতিবেদনে বাংলা ভাষায় সহায়ক প্রযুক্তি উন্নয়নের নানা প্রচেষ্টা তুলে ধরা হয়েছে—স্ক্রিন রিডার, ইশারা ভাষার সফটওয়্যার, ব্রেইল সহায়ক উপকরণ এবং ডিজিটাল প্রবেশগম্যতার আন্তর্জাতিক মানদণ্ড নিয়ে বিশদ আলোচনা রয়েছে। সরকারি গবেষণা উদ্যোগ, বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়-ভিত্তিক উদ্ভাবন এবং বেসরকারি খাতের সম্পৃক্ততা কীভাবে প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিদের শিক্ষা ও কর্মক্ষেত্রে অন্তর্ভুক্তিকে শক্তিশালী করতে পারে, তা প্রতিবেদনে বিশ্লেষণধর্মীভাবে উপস্থাপিত হয়েছে। একই সঙ্গে নীতিগত সহায়তা, আর্থিক তহবিল এবং এইচএস কোড সংক্রান্ত কাঠামোগত চ্যালেঞ্জগুলিও সামনে আনা হয়েছে।

এই প্রতিবেদনটি কেবল সমস্যার চিত্রই তুলে ধরে না—বরং সমন্বিত উদ্যোগের মাধ্যমে টেকসই সমাধানের একটি সুস্পষ্ট দিকনির্দেশনা প্রদান করে।

Brief in English:
This report explores ongoing efforts to enrich education for persons with disabilities through Bangla-language assistive technologies. It highlights innovations such as screen readers, sign language software, and accessible digital tools, while examining policy and structural challenges. The story emphasizes the need for legal frameworks, funding mechanisms, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure accessibility standards are met. It presents a constructive roadmap toward inclusive digital education in Bangladesh.

👏 Congratulations to Rita Bhowmick for her analytical and solution-focused reporting that advances the discourse on accessibility, innovation, and disability equality.

প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিদের মধ্যে দৃষ্টিপ্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তি এবং বাক ও শ্রবণ প্রতিবন্ধী ব্যক্তিরা যাতে সহজেই সাধারণ ম....