With a commitment to highlighting the lives, achievements, challenges and prospects of expatriate Bangladeshis, as well as promoting communication and harmony within Australia’s multicultural society, Bengali- and English-language digital news platform ‘Dhaka Sydney Insider’ has officially begun its journey.

The formal launch ceremony of ‘Dhaka Sydney Insider’ was held on Monday, September 7, at the Hurstville Civic Theatre in Sydney in a grand setting. Prominent figures from Australian politics, multicultural communities, community leadership, law, education, business and the media attended the event.

The central theme of the discussion was “The Importance of Media: Providing Information, Building Connections and Uniting Multicultural Communities.”

Mark Buttigieg MLC, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, addressed the event as the chief guest.

Special guests included former Assistant President of the NSW Parliament Shaoquett Moselmane, Deputy Mayor Masud Chowdhury, Councillor Eliza Rahman, Councillor Masud Khalil and former Councillor Shahe Zaman Titu.

Community leader Gama Abdul Kader, Ekushey Academy President Sultan Mahmud, Bangladesh Association Australia President Monirul Haque George, community leader Shafiqul Alam, prominent columnist Ajay Das Gupta, columnist Dr. Sakhawat Nayan, community leader Fazlul Haque Shafik, Grace International Executive Director Simrita Khadkar and prominent lawyer Rajdutt also spoke at the event.

The programme was chaired by Dr. Md. Sirajul Haque, chairman of the editorial board of Dhaka Sydney Insider. Editor-in-Chief Azad Kabir presented the keynote paper, while Executive Editor Rahmat Ullah delivered the closing remarks.

Among the journalists who spoke at the event were Mukto Manch editor Md. Noman Shamim, Sydney Bangla News editor Mizanur Rahman Sumon, Australia-Bangladesh Television Reporters Unity President Orko Hasan, Swadesh Barta editor Foysal Azad and Bangladesh Media Forum Australia President Humayun Kabir Rose.

Media’s Role Goes Beyond Publishing News

Speakers said that in the current digital era, the responsibility of the media is no longer limited to publishing news.

A responsible media outlet must serve as a bridge connecting people from different social, professional and cultural backgrounds.

They said that in a multicultural country like Australia, the media can play an important role in highlighting the voices of different communities, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening social harmony.

Speakers emphasized the importance of media in multicultural Australia, particularly in delivering accurate information to people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and helping them engage with mainstream society.

They also stressed the need for strong and responsible media platforms to provide communities with an opportunity to express their views and concerns.

The role of the media in establishing communication between local governments and multicultural communities was also discussed.

‘Publishing News Is Not the End; Sustainability Is the Bigger Challenge’

An important issue concerning the future of the media also emerged during the discussion. Speakers observed that while launching a newspaper or digital news platform may be relatively easy, sustaining it over the long term is much more difficult.

The expansion of social media and digital platforms has significantly increased opportunities for publishing news, but it has also created new challenges.

Building readers’ trust, publishing accurate and verified information, maintaining professional journalism, keeping pace with technological developments and ensuring financial sustainability have all become major concerns.

Speakers noted that community media, in particular, cannot consider its responsibility fulfilled simply by publishing news.

It must understand readers’ needs, ensure representation of different sections of the community and maintain professional journalistic ethics and objectivity.

According to the speakers, the true success of a media outlet depends on readers’ trust, diversity in news coverage, professionalism and long-term sustainability.

New Responsibilities for Media in a Multicultural Society

The multicultural reality of Australia received particular attention during the discussion.

People from different countries have become an integral part of Australian society while maintaining their own languages, cultures and traditions. Speakers said community media can play an important role in presenting this diversity positively.

They noted that a community media outlet can perform two important responsibilities simultaneously. On one hand, it can highlight the problems, successes and achievements of its own community; on the other, it can build stronger connections between that community and wider Australian society.

The discussion also highlighted the need to provide Bengali-speaking Australians with accessible coverage of news from Bangladesh, important national and local news from Australia, immigration, education, employment, business, culture, community activities and information from local governments.

‘Dhaka Sydney Insider’ Begins with New Expectations

Speakers welcomed the formal launch of Dhaka Sydney Insider and expressed hope that the new digital platform would move forward through responsible, impartial and professional journalism.

Representatives of Dhaka Sydney Insider said their goal goes beyond simply publishing news. One of their key objectives is to establish an effective communication bridge between expatriate Bangladeshis, Bangladesh and wider Australian society.

Through news coverage in both Bengali and English, the platform aims to make communication between Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi community in Australia easier while also presenting the stories, achievements and contributions of Australian Bangladeshis to mainstream Australian society.