A three-day refresher training on local government election reporting, information integrity and journalist safety began at the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in Dhaka on Tuesday, bringing together 20 media professionals and academics who will deliver further training across the country.
Unesco and PIB jointly organised the Refresher Training of Trainers under the UN Electoral Assistance Project BALLOT. The program builds on an earlier PIB ToT, whose participants subsequently trained more than 2,600 journalists across 60 districts in January–February 2026.
Speaking at the inauguration, PIB Director General Faruk Wasif said: “Recognising disinformation and attempts to manipulate information on social media is essential to fact-based reporting. With Unesco’s support through the UNDP-led BALLOT Project, PIB is strengthening those skills among grassroots journalists.”
The refresher training addresses local government election reporting as a priority identified following the previous ToT and subsequent training programs. Participants will strengthen their skills in this area, alongside information integrity and journalist safety, before conducting PIB training programmes on local government elections nationwide.
Dr Susan Vize, head of office and Unesco Representative to Bangladesh, said, “Local elections shape decisions about the services people use every day. Voters need accurate reporting to understand what is at stake for their communities and make informed choices. We are hopeful that PIB’s trainers will build on their work ahead of the national elections to prepare journalists for accurate and responsible coverage of local elections.”
The participants come from different media organisations and academia.
Andres Del Castillo Sanchez, Chief Technical Advisor of BALLOT, attended the opening as special guest. “Campaign information can shape voters’ choices and leave a lasting mark on public trust. Journalists need to verify information throughout the campaign, especially in local elections, where the consequences are felt directly in communities,” he said.
Others present included Rochan Kadariya, Digital Solutions Specialist, BALLOT; Shakil M. Faisal, Project Lead, Media and Elections, Unesco’s BALLOT Project; Rakibul Islam, Programme Assistant, Unesco’s BALLOT Project; and Nadim Farhad, Trainer and Hate Speech Specialist, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.
