Jago News’ Ovi wins ERF-Pran Media Award

Ibrahim Hussain Ovi, Chief Reporter of Jago News, has won the first prize in the Online Category of the "ERF-Pran Media Award 2024" for his outstanding report on the agricultural sector in Bangladesh. The award ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) office in Purana Paltan, Dhaka.

Ovi received the award for his article titled "Limitless Potential in Agricultural Product Exports, Achievements Limited" published in Jago News on September 14.

Sheikh Bashiruddin, Commerce Adviser to the interim government, was present as the chief guest, while Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, Chairman of Pran-RFL Group, served as the Guest of Honour. Special guests included Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, and Muhammad Abdullah, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust. The ceremony was chaired by ERF President Rafayet Ullah Mirdhar, with ERF General Secretary Abul Kashem, executive members, award judges, and journalists from various media outlets also in attendance.

This year, awards were given for the best reports on different aspects of the agriculture sector, including modern farming and sustainable marketing systems, quality agricultural product production, agro-processing, challenges, progress, potential, new investments, job creation, and exports.

The awards were distributed across three categories: Print, Online, and Television. In the Print Category, Ziadul Islam, Senior Reporter of Dainik Amader Shomoy, and Alamgir Hossain, Business Editor of Shomoyer Alo, jointly took first place. Joint second-place winners were Jasim Uddin Harun and FHM Humayun Kabir, Special Correspondents of The Financial Express. The third prize was awarded to Sahanowar Sayeed Shaheen, Senior Reporter of Kaler Kantho.

In the Online Category, Ovi from Jago News claimed first place, while Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Senior Reporter of Daily Jugantor, secured second place.

In the Television Category, the first prize was awarded to Touhid Hossain Papon, Senior Reporter of Jamuna Television. The second prize was shared by Touhidur Rahman, Senior Reporter of Ekushey TV, and Haripada Saha, Senior Reporter of Independent TV.

Ovi had previously won the Best Reporting Award in 2017 from the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) for his investigation into the garment industry, titled "What Does Bangladesh Get for a $42 Shirt? $3.30." He also received the BGMEA-BUFT Journalism Fellowship in 2015 for various reports on the garment sector. Additionally, in 2018, he won the PIB-a2i Mass Media Award for his investigative report, "Freelancers Turn Bangladesh into a Hub for ICT Outsourcing." 

This year, Ovi was also honored with the BCCCI-ERF Journalism Award for his investigative report on how Bangladesh is producing high-quality non-cotton products through technology adoption.

Ovi holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka. He began his journalism career in 2009 at Jamuna Television and has since reported for the English dailies The Daily Sun and Dhaka Tribune. At Dhaka Tribune, he served as the Chief of Business Correspondents. He was also the Chief Reporter and Planning Editor at Business Post. Currently, he serves as the Chief Reporter at Jagonews24.com.