Nagad will sponsor the Dhaka Reporters Unity’s Best Reporting Award 2026, marking its third partnership with the journalists’ organisation for the annual competition, the two organisations announced on Tuesday at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity in Dhaka.
The Nagad-DRU Best Reporting Award 2026 will recognise subject-specific journalism across 26 categories in two segments — print-online and television-radio — while two categories will be open to journalists from all media outlets, with the awards presented on behalf of the President of Bangladesh, Nagad said in a press release.
A panel of 10 senior journalists will review the submissions and select the year’s best reports.
DRU members may submit reports published or aired between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026. The deadline for submissions is 14 October.
DRU President Abu Saleh Akon said recognising reporters for their best work was a positive initiative that contributed to the advancement of journalism in Bangladesh.
Since its inception, DRU has played that role and the initiative has had a positive impact on journalism, he said.
DRU General Secretary Mynul Hasan Sohel said Nagad, the postal department’s mobile financial service, was partnering with the organisation for this year’s awards.
He said the homegrown service had quickly established a significant position in the country’s digital transaction sector.
“Nagad has partnered with DRU in three award programs, including this year’s event. We thank and welcome the homegrown service for its continued efforts to encourage journalism in the country,” Sohel said.
Nagad Chief Commercial Officer Mohummed Shahin Sarwar Bhuiyan said DRU was one of the leading organisations representing journalists contributing to the profession in Bangladesh.
“We are delighted to be associated with such an initiative as a homegrown mobile financial service,” he said.
Bhuiyan said journalists played an important role in highlighting irregularities in society and served as the eyes of the state on issues involving rules and regulations.
“As always, we are partnering with this award to encourage better and more enriched journalism,” he said.
Nagad Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer Muhammad Anisur Rahman Bhuyan, Head of Media and Communications Muhammad Zahidul Islam and Nagad-DRU Award Coordinator and DRU Organising Secretary M M Jasim attended the press conference.
Members of the DRU Executive Committee, DRU members and senior Nagad officials were also present.
Nagad first partnered with the DRU Best Reporting Award in 2021, when the awards were presented at a ceremony. It renewed the partnership in 2025 and is joining the initiative for the third time this year as part of its efforts to promote quality journalism by recognising journalists.
