Type Daily newspaper Owner(s) Transcom Group Editor Mahfuz Anam | Format Broadsheet Founder(s) Syed Mohammad Ali | |
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Founded January 14, 1991; 26 years ago (1991-01-14) | ||
The Daily Star is the largest circulating daily English-language newspaper in Bangladesh. Founded by Syed Mohammed Ali on 14 January 1991, as Bangladesh transitioned and restored parliamentary democracy, The Daily Star emerged as a leading and influential national newspaper of record. Its editorial stance is characterized by staunch liberal and progressive ideals emanating from the Liberation of Bangladesh; a reputation for non-partisan quality reportage and a distinguished record of investigative journalism. In 2016, its editor Mahfuz Anam admitted to long-running allegations against the paper and him personally of collaborating with an undemocratic military-led caretaker regime and running false stories aimed at character assassination. The newspaper's position in Bangladesh is comparable to that of The New York Times in the United States and The Independent in the United Kingdom.
Contents
- Management
- Ownership
- Online version
- Pages magazines and supplements
- Previous publications
- Backing of the 2007 coup
- References
Its motto, "Committed to People's Right to Know", appears on the upper-middle section of the front page. The newspaper is led by Mahfuz Anam, a freedom fighter and former United Nations official. Its principal bureaus are located in Dhaka and Chittagong, with several representatives abroad. It is organized into sections: News, Opinion and Editorial, Star Business, Star Sports, Arts and Entertainment, National and Metropolitan. Its major supplements include The Star, Forum, Lifestyle, Star Literature, Law & Our Rights, Shout, Star Insight and Science and Life.
The Daily Star is owned by Mediaworld, in which a major share is held by Latifur Rahman's Transcom Group. The Transcom Group also owns Prothom Alo, one of the most widely read Bengali newspapers in the world.
Management
Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, is also on its six-member board of directors, of which Rokia Afzal Rahman is chairman. The board deals with financial matters.
The general section of the newspaper is headed by Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, its managing editor, while the news team is led by Syed Ashfaqul Haque, chief news editor. Ahmed Ali is in charge of the Metro. Other leaders are AFM Jamaluddin (establishment manager), Mizanur Rahman (accounts manager), Selim S.H. Chowdhury (production and events manager), and Sher Ali (advertising manager).
Ownership
Transcom Group, controlled by businessman Latifur Rahman, Abdur Rouf Chowdhury of Rangs Group and founder Editor SM Ali invested in the owning company Mediaworld.
Online version
The online version of The Daily Star as a leading English daily newspaper of Bangladesh is updating 24/7 with latest, breaking, politics, business, technology, world, entertainment, sports, lifestyle and crime news.
Pages, magazines and supplements
The Daily Star publishes a number of supplements along with its 24-page main publication.
Previous publications
Backing of the 2007 coup
In 2016, speaking at a panel discussion on ATN News, editor Mahfuz Anam admitted to long-running allegations that he collaborated with the military-led caretaker government of 2007 and ran false stories fed by the military intelligence outfit DGFI, aimed at maligning a former prime minister of Bangladesh. The Daily Star is widely criticized for 'backing' the army-installed government, led by former bureaucrat Fakhruddin Ahmad and armed with sweeping emergency powers to curb media and civil rights.
It is claimed that at the initiative of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, The Daily Star and its sister concern Bangla language daily Prothom Alo made the ground welcoming an unconstitutional government with a campaign for 'depoliticisation' through citizens' dialogue across the country, critics say. Previously he had denied those allegations. But on this occasion he finally admitted it saying it was his biggest mistake. He however tried to defend himself by saying that "everyone did it".
This led to demands in parliament by several lawmakers calling for the arrest and trial of Mahfuz Anam and the owner, Latifur Rahman. Lawmaker Fazle Noor Taposh, standing up on the point of order:
Recently, Mafuz Anam admitted in a Television Talkshow aired through the ATN News that the Daily Star published some fabricated and untrue news during the 1/11 political turmoil . . . It 's definitely the violation of Constitution and a sedition case can be lodged in this connection.
The lawmakers claimed that Mahfuz Anam involved himself in a conspiracy in implementing a blueprint during the 1/11 changeover and demanded disclosing the "misdeeds" of Mahfuz Anam to the people.