Historical Background of MBPC

Considering the impact of news industry towards national advancement and good governance, the news media is recognizes as the fourth pillar of a nation. To meet the demand of the age, there was a substantial increase in the number of print, broadcasts and online media as well as of the journalists in Bangladesh as well as in the world. They need proper professional education, training, logistic support and favorable environment to execute their duties and responsibilities with a level of satisfaction. But unfortunately, due to several causes, a big gap can be seen with an open eye between the expected and the actual situation on the relevant events. For instance, today the journalists as well as the news industries suffers today from the lack of professional skill promotion trainings &  scholarship programs, safe-guarding life, coordination between news industries and local administration and so on. The risks for the journalists are increasing day by day in the form of killing, torture, and harassment etc.

In Greater Mymensingh division, there are 6 district press clubs and 60 upazilla press clubs who are distinct and working as a sole agent. There was no professional forum for the journalist who organizes and brings those clubs under an umbrella. Considering the significance of effective networking among those clubs, Mymensingh Bivagio Press Club (MBPC) has stated its journey since 13 October’2015.

 MBPC is a non-political, non-government, professional journalists platform without any bias to any caste , creed  or endemic .  It’s a professional, social and charitable organization of the people who make, cover and influence the news. MBPC believes strongly that to achieve the best effort for national development, a bridge should be established among the news industry, journalist, and local administration and community peoples. To contribute towards national advancement, MBPC aims to work for the distress, disadvantaged peoples especially for poor women, adolescent and children etc. Although a professional journalist’s club, MBPC has from its inception played an important role on many national issues like democracy, eradication of extremism, freedom of the press, and for resisting autocracy.

 The club is registered under The Registration of Societies (Under the Act XXX of 1860). It’s the sole divisional press club in Mymensingh division affiliated by the Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. It is run by an elected body and under its own constitution approved by the registration authority. The club enjoying on the members to strictly adhere to the code of conduct in the discharge of their duties and attach due value to fundamental, human and social rights as defined in the constitution of Bangladesh. Through its activities, the club already has covered 60 Upazillas of Mymensingh Division. In those upazilla’s, MBPC already has established unit offices and has formulated upazilla committees.

 It was incorporated by a group of young, experienced, dynamic and promising print, broadcast and online journalists and local elites. AKM Fakhrul Alam Bappi Chowdhury, the Editor & Publisher of Daily MATI O MANUSH is the founder chairman of the organization. At inception, the club had started its journey with 39 members. At present, it holds 200+ members. The membership of the club is rising sharply day by day.

The present constitution of the MBPC provides for five categories of membership: founder member, general membership for professional journalists, executive membership, life membership and donor Membership. As per the approved constitution, the donor members have no voting rights.

 Today, the principal office of the MBPC is located at 88 CK Ghosh Road, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Journalists from the print, broadcast, and online communities comprise over 80%, Editor & Publisher comprises over 15% and rest 5% are the local elites out of the Press Club’s 200+ member roster, making it one of the fast growing and most dynamic press clubs in Mymenisngh Division. The club is now a well-equipped institution with auditoriums, a VIP lounge, a TV room, guestrooms and a library. Besides being a meeting place for journalist, it provides a forum for political, social and cultural groups and individuals for holding press briefings and seminars.