BRUR Correspondent: A seminar titled “Leadership, Media Literacy and Gender Representation in Media” was held at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR).
The event took place on Saturday (November 1) afternoon at the gallery room of the Department of Statistics in Academic Building 4. It was jointly organized by the university’s Communication and Journalism Club and Lal Sabuj Society Rangpur Team.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Md. Shawkat Ali, attended the seminar as the chief guest. Assistant Professor Niamun Nahar Nima of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism was present as the special guest. Discussions on media literacy and gender representation in media were conducted by Amirul Bappi, Syedpur Bureau Chief of Ekhon Television, and Kuntala Chowdhury, Head of the Department of Gender and Development Studies. Around fifty participants attended the event.
In his speech as the chief guest, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Shawkat Ali expressed his gratitude to the Communication and Journalism Club and the Lal Sabuj Society for organizing the seminar. He mentioned that preparations are underway to set up the third floor of the university cafeteria as a temporary auditorium to host such seminars in the future.
He said, “Mass media is an important component of the modern world. Those involved in it are avid learners. Similarly, we should also study and analyze everything carefully.”
The Vice-Chancellor further stated, “To become a leader, one must first be a good listener. It is essential to value others’ opinions, be democratic, and become a leader for the people. We must bring about a change in mindset with humility and modesty. Integrity and fairness should never be compromised, and equality must be established.”
In her speech as the special guest, Assistant Professor Niamun Nahar Nima said, “By nature, we all possess leadership qualities, but we often fail to nurture and practice them. However, fostering such qualities is essential for building a better society.”
She added, “We are all stakeholders in the media. Therefore, we must consciously engage with its elements. At the same time, we need to remain aware of women’s representation in the media and ensure they are portrayed fairly. This is both our duty and responsibility.”
Speaking about the event, Md. Mozammel Haque, President of the Communication and Journalism Club, said, “Leadership, media literacy, equality, and justice are vital for society. Our initiative aims to promote these values. We hope students will gain a fundamental understanding of these important topics through this seminar.”
