Desk Report,07 September:
Today is the birthday of Eminent Media Personality, Agriculture Development Activist Shykh Seraj. He was born on 7th of September in 1954 in Chandpur district (Certificate DOB 28 JUN, 1956).
He received Masters Degree in Geography from the University of Dhaka. Since his student life, he was deeply involved with media with cultural and development activities. He became extremely popular as the host of the famous agricultural documentary, ‘Mati O Manush’ (Soil & People), aired on Bangladesh Television. In 1995 at the age of 39, as the youngest ever, he received the second highest civilian honour ‘Ekushey Padak’ for his brilliance in development journalism. In 2018, he received the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh, Swadhinata Puroshkar-2018 in the field of agricultural journalism.
For four decades, Shykh Seraj has become a forerunner of development journalism in Bangladesh. Due to his relentless broadcasting of news, news-features and publications, farming sector has been blessed with optimistic change. Bangladesh achieved remarkable success in boosting up the agricultural economy. Many great examples of success have been witnessed. There have been many success stories written. Behind this success, Shykh Seraj’s diversified media activity played an inevitable role. His journalism roams around topics like food security, good governance and holistic human development.
For persistent contribution in developing the state of farmers, wiping out food security while ensuring safe food for all, and knocking the policy level for inspiring farmers, Ashoka Fellow, Shykh Seraj was awarded the highest honour of an agricultural journalist, United Nation’s ‘FAO A.H. Boerma Award’ for the period of 2008-2009. He has received Asia’s most supreme award, Gusi Peace Prize in 2015 from Philippines. He also received Bangladesh Economic Association Gold Medal, UK’s BCA Golden Jubilee Honour Award, prestigious recognition from British House of Commons, Green Award from Birmingham community, Dr. Ibrahim Memorial Gold Medal, Ranada Prasad Saha Gold Medal, Ashoka Fellowship (USA), Bangla Academy Fellowship along with more than fifty honours and accolades from home and abroad.
Shykh Seraj has implemented television media to make a bridge between urban and rural people. With his exceptional media enterprises, television does not live in the boundaries of entertainment anymore. Television has become an agent of change for the rural livelihood, economy and society in the hands of Shykh Seraj and a vital information source for the state policymakers.
Presently, he’s working as the Founder Director and Head of News of Impress Telefilm Ltd./Channel i. Beside his role as regular host and director for Channel i’s most popular agro-documentary, Hridoye Mati O Manush (Soil & People in Heart) and BTV’s agricultural programme, Krishi Dibanishi (Agriculture, round the clock) Shykh Seraj is writing regularly for famous newspapers and magazines. He has successfully included farm news in the national bulletin.
He has written many books; noted ones are ‘Motsho Manual’, ‘Mati O Manusher Chashbash’, ‘Farmers’ File’, ‘Matir Kachey Manusher Kachey’, ‘Bangladesher Krishi: Prekhkhapot 2008’, ‘Krishi O Gonomadhdhom’, ‘Krishi Budget Krishoker Budget’ (Edited), ‘Amar Shopner Krishi’, Krishi Budget Krishoker Budget (2011), Shomokalin Krishi O Onnano Proshongo (2011), Krishi O Unnayan Chinta (2013) etc.
