A two-day national journalism conference will be held in the capital on May 8–9, bringing together media professionals and stakeholders to discuss challenges facing the profession and outline future strategies.
The Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) will organise the Bangladesh Journalism Conference 2026 at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden hotel, its Executive Director Hasibur Rahman announced at a press conference at The Daily Star Centre on Thursday.
The conference will feature 12 sessions with more than 20 discussants and is expected to draw over 500 participants, including journalists, editors, researchers, teachers, students, civil society representatives and international experts.
Participants from more than 10 countries are expected to attend. Confirmed countries include India, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Portugal, alongside Bangladesh.
Hasibur Rahman said MRDI plans to organise the conference biennially and aims to establish a structured platform for journalism dialogue in Bangladesh.
Four help desks will be set up at the venue, focusing on investigative journalism, right to information, fact-checking and mental health support.
Registration for the conference will open at 12:01am on Friday through a dedicated microsite. While registration will follow a first-come, first-served approach, final selection will be made by the organisers.
Journalists working in local, national and international media outlets, including those based abroad, will be eligible to apply. Teachers, researchers, fact-checkers, development partners, civil society members and MRDI alumni will also be able to register.
Students will be required to complete MRDI’s online basic journalism course to qualify. Selection will be based on performance, with top scorers chosen within a limited number of seats.
The MRDI chief also announced fellowship opportunities for 15 journalists from outside Dhaka. Applicants will need to submit story proposals in advance, and selected fellows will receive mentorship support.
The BALLOT programme, a joint initiative of UNESCO and the United Nations, is the platinum partner of the conference. Other partners include Fojo Media Institute, IREX, Fondation Hirondelle, The Self Investigation, the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), and Radisson.
