Salma Sobhan fellows complete training

The fellows received certificates from eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan, chairperson of Pratichi Trust, at a ceremony at the Brac Centre auditorium in the city yesterday.

Under the 'Salma Sobhan Fellowship in Journalism for Women', a total of 200 grassroots women from different are to receive training in journalism over a period of three years.

The Brac and Pratichi Trust have jointly started the fellowship programme in January 2005 with the assistance of the daily Prothom Alo.

During the training, the trainees have written nearly 1,000 articles in the Prothom Alo and other local and national dailies. They also sent reports from various districts on current happenings and conditions.

Speaking at the certificate award ceremony, Prof Rehman Sobhan said a very few women have taken up journalism in the country.

How the world appears through women's eyes would be reflected in their writing, he hoped.

Fazle Hasan Abed, founder and chairperson of Brac, said the memory of Barrister Salma Sobhan would remain alive in the writing of the fellows.

Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), called on the fellows to write news about social injustice, women empowerment and other women-related issues brushing aside personal animosities.

Matiur Rahman, editor of the Prothom Alo, called on the fellows to continue their writing for the welfare of women and grassroots people.

He also urged them to establish themselves in any media on their own.

Md Golam Samdani Fakir, director of Brac Training Division, also spoke.