Family Planning Reporting: Star journo among six awarded by DGFP

Six journalists were awarded yesterday for their work highlighting issues related to family planning by the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP).

Nilima Jahan, a reporter of The Daily Star, was among the winners -- for reporting on family planning, maternal and child health, and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) issues -- which was announced at the "World Population Day 2020" virtual celebration programme.

The other winners are Sajida Islam Parul of The Daily Samakal, Sharful Alam of ATN Bangla, Hasan Sohel of The Daily Inqilab, Razu Ahmed of GTV, and Synthia Kainath Nur of Bangladesh Post.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque congratulated the winners at the programme. Each winner will receive a certificate, crest and prize money of Tk 50,000.

In a separate category, four top employees and six organisations were selected for the award for their special contribution to family planning services and maternal and child health sectors.

A total of 40 media personnel from print, electronic and online portals, cartoonists, and artistes were selected for the "Family Planning Media Fellowship-2020" in March. The names of the fellows were announced at the programme, each of whom will receive Tk 50,000 as an honorarium for the successful completion of the fellowship.

The Daily Star's Nilima was announced as one of the fellows for the programme as well.

Every year, DGFP marks the World Population Day with exuberant programmes. However, considering the ongoing global pandemic, this year's celebrations had to be limited to the virtual space.

This year's theme for the day is "Putting the brakes on Covid19: How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now."

Health Minister Zahid Maleque was chief guest of the programme, while Health Services Division's Secretary Md Abdul Mannan, UNFPA Bangladesh representative Dr Asa Torkelsson, and Director General of DGFP Sahan Ara Banu spoke at the event, among others. The programme was presided by Md Ali Noor, the Health Education Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.