Moving beyond nationalistic narratives and fostering cross-border media collaboration are essential to strengthening regional cooperation and building public trust, panelists said at a discussion at the University of Dhaka on Sunday.
Chaired by Dhaka Tribune Editor Reaz Ahmad, the session, titled “Credibility, Trust, and Media Responsibility in Building a Regional Community with a Shared Future,” brought together media professionals and academics from China, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The discussion was held as part of the 4th Trans-Himalayan Communication and Social Development Conference, a four-day event that began in Dhaka on Sunday.
Reaz Ahmad said the media should go beyond its role as a national watchdog and serve as a bridge between neighboring countries by highlighting shared challenges and fostering mutual understanding.
“Building a regional community with a shared future requires a media ecosystem anchored in institutional credibility, public trust, and cross-border responsibility,” he said.
Emphasizing the need for more comprehensive regional reporting, he said media coverage should not be confined to crises, disasters or bilateral disputes. Instead, news organizations should regularly report on shared regional challenges, including climate change, water governance and economic migration.
He also stressed the importance of data journalism in ensuring evidence-based reporting, particularly on sensitive issues such as trade, transboundary resource management and regional security. Such an approach, he said, could help reduce sensationalism and political rhetoric in regional coverage.
The Dhaka Tribune editor further said marginalized and border communities, which directly experience the consequences of regional policies, should have an active voice in media narratives rather than being treated merely as subjects of state-level discussions.
Earlier, the four-day conference began on Sunday morning at the Professor Mozaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium of the University of Dhaka.
Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir attended the inaugural session as the chief guest, while University of Dhaka Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam was present as the guest of honor.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Titumir stressed accountability and knowledge-sharing in the development process. He said universities and the media had complementary responsibilities, with universities generating and verifying knowledge and the media communicating it to the public.
He also highlighted the government's initiative to develop Digital Public Infrastructure and formulate an Open Data Policy to make information more accessible for research and evidence-based policymaking.
The vice-chancellor emphasized the need for long-term collaboration among universities through joint research, teaching initiatives, and the exchange of data and academic resources.
He also called for greater regional cooperation to address shared challenges, including climate change, water management, disaster response and public health.
The conference is jointly organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences and the departments of Mass Communication and Journalism, Public Administration, and Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, the School of Public Administration of China's University of Electronic Science and Technology, China's Kangba TV, and Nepal's Himalaya Television.
