Julfikar Ali Manik, a special correspondent of the Dhaka Tribune, was yesterday awarded the TIB Investigative Journalism Award 2013 for his investigative reports on the attacks on Buddhists in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar.
The report titled “A Devil’s Design” was published in The Daily Star on October 14, 2012, before Manik joined the Dhaka Tribune.
The report briefly illustrated the shocking outrage that took place in Ramu on September 29, 2012. The report then revealed, in detail, the process of how the criminals used the social networking website Facebook as a tool to provoke local people into going on a rampage against the Buddhist community. In his report, Manik tried to reveal the identity of the criminals, and shed light on how social networks are being used to do misdeeds.
Along with Manik, HM Alauddin, a staff reporter of Khulna based Dainik Purbanchal, and Apurbo Alauddin of Jamuna Television (formerly a special correspondent at Independent Television) also won this year’s award. Mohsin Mukul, a camera crew from Independent Television, received an honour for bravely recording the report.
All three reporters received certificates, a crest and a cheque for Tk80,000, while the camera crew received Tk50,000.
Sony Ramani and Shumon Yusuf were also honoured at the ceremony for coming out first and third in an international photography competition organised by Transparency International, and MA Ahad for his special contributions.
The awards were given at a ceremony organised by Transparency International Bangladesh at the capital’s Brac Centre Inn, marking the International Anti-Corruption Day.
