ERF Gratitude Award : To Honour the Leaders

The birth of Economic Reports’ Forum (ERF) in 1993 was a milestone for Bangladesh field of journalism as well as one step forward to  promote country’s socio-economic development, when most reporting issues were related to politics and violence.
ERF members have changed the pattern of news coverage and simultaneously keep informed and enlighten mass people on their economic rights and development.  Public representative, government officials and policy planners are also getting huge inputs of it.
The stone was laid down by the then five young energetic journalists. Among them two were the real initiators, Shamsul Haque Zahid and Shahiduzzaman.  They contacted, motivated and grew interest among the journalists to report more one conomic issues and bring them under the umbrella of ERF.  Five to 10, 10 to 20, and now 150 (need to put exact number) are leading the Forum.
News media pluralised 100 times than 90s. Private investors invested thousands of crores of taka in these sectors.  News coverage expanded around the country, quality improved and the job market increased. Brilliant young people now-adays don’t hesitate for choosing journalism as their profession.  Major print and electronic media houses mate more spaces and air time to publish/broadcast economic reports with care.
ERF was the demand of time and it has clicked accordingly.
Bangladesh is now a fast growing country to become a middle income country by 2021 in South Asia. The country already has set up many development examples for other nations.
Economic reports are one of the most effective partners of such kind of ongoing development.
We have crossed more than two decades. Many things changed. Changes happen in media in the era of ITC and IT. Same time we are also empowered and today feel proud as members of ERF.  Our achievement gives benefit to millions.
We again want to be more proud to show our respects to the most important founders and initiators Shamsul Haque Zahid and Shahiduzzaman, who inspired and gave us courage to take up the challenges of future. They are the trend setters.
They understand the demand of time and act well, when most countries of the world don’t think about such effective platform for specialized journalists.