Durgapur (Netrokona ) Correspondent

Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, has called upon journalists to play a leading role in driving Bangladesh forward and building a new nation, describing members of the press as the conscience of the society.

Emphasizing that no one is immune to mistakes, he urged journalists to move past shortcomings, maintain high professional standards, and cooperate with all developmental initiatives undertaken by the government.

He made these remarks on Wednesday morning as the chief guest while inaugurating a three-day training program for journalists, organized by the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in Durgapur, Netrokona.

Addressing the inaugural session, Barrister Kaiser Kamal said that journalism is a noble profession, though attempts by some to tarnish its image remain completely unacceptable. He invited journalists to hold public figures accountable, stating that pointing out his own shortcomings would help him rectify himself. He cautioned against indulging in yellow journalism under the guise of the profession, reiterating that journalists serve as the nation's conscience and must work collectively to rebuild Bangladesh.

Speaking at the event, PIB Director General Faruq Wasif noted that while the flow of information has surged in recent times, the risk of spreading misinformation has amplified significantly. Consequently, a journalist’s duty extends beyond merely gathering information to rigorously verifying its authenticity before publication.

The primary objective of the PIB program is to ensure the ethical and effective use of digital technology, fact-checking, AI, and multimedia journalism. The workshop aims to empower participants to create reliable, data-rich, and reader-friendly news reports and features while developing strategies to navigate the opportunities, limitations, and challenges of AI in modern journalism.

Special guests present at the opening ceremony included Netrokona Deputy Commissioner Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, Superintendent of Police Tarikul Islam, UNO Ahmed Sadat, Tribal Cultural Academy Director Anjan Kumar Chicham, and trainer Ali Akbar. The event was moderated by PIB trainer Sahanawar Sayeed Shahin.

A total of 35 journalists of print and electronic media in Durgapur Upazila are participating in the three-day session.