Anadolu Agency reporter wins Migration Media Award

ANKARA (AA) – An Anadolu Agency reporter on Thursday was honored for his groundbreaking coverage of the oppression and trauma faced by Bangladeshi women seeking jobs in Saudi Arabia.

"It's my great pleasure that this award will encourage me to work more at one of the world's biggest media platforms, Anadolu Agency, in the days to come," said Md. Kamruzzaman, winner of the 2019 Migration Media Award.

The Migration Media Award is presented under the European Union funded ‘Bangladesh: Sustainable Reintegration and Improved Migration Governance project -- locally known as Prottasha -- which is implemented by International Organization for Migration in partnership with international development organization BRAC led by the Government of Bangladesh.

Kamruzzaman was awarded for his feature on Bangladeshi women migrants in Saudi Arabia titled "Dream turns into terror for Bangladeshi women in Arabia" published by Anadolu Agency on Nov. 17, 2019.

"For the first time any Bangladeshi journalist as a representative of an overseas media [outlet] has won the award," Shariful Islam Hasan, head of the BRAC Migration Program, said at the award ceremony in the capital Dhaka.

Calling the award a great source of inspiration for reporting on migration issues, Imran Ahmed, Bangladesh’s minister for expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, urged journalists to be "very responsible" in reporting on migration issues as this is a "very critical" aspect of the modern world.

A total of 13 journalists and a media organization were selected for awards in six categories for their "outstanding and impactful" news coverage on migration.

Expressing gratitude to Anadolu Agency, Kamruzzaman said: "I am grateful to Anadolu Agency for putting forward a big platform for reporting on all vital issues and wholeheartedly guiding me to cover this migration story."