India, known as the largest democracy in the world, goes to national elections this Thursday, where over 900 million voters will participate in the biggest electoral exercise through electronic voting machines (EVM), an unique experienced for the human race. The seven-phase general elections starting from 11 April to 1... continue reading

As we are celebrating the National Press Day on 16 November, let's pay our heartiest tributes to everyone who contributed for the growth of print media and also it's watchdog & mentor (Press Council of India). Since its inception & functioning the press council continues symbolizing a free and responsible press in the ... continue reading

With tremendous enthusiasm among common residents, Bhutan is going for its third national (general) elections on 18 October. Two political parties are on the fray for the new regime in Thimphu, but India's dependable party has already lost the primary round of polls.

Sandwiched between India and Tibet (now under Ch... continue reading

It was a rewarding trip to Chennai, slowly emerged as a national medical care hub, where options and technical facilities for prevention and treatment of various disease attract every onlookers. The south Indian city on the bank of Bay of Bengal offers medical opportunities for high profile individuals to down trodden ... continue reading

Bangladesh remains in media headlines and mostly for wrong reasons. As the populous country is approaching the next general (national) elections by the end of this year, we can expect more public chaos, protest demonstrations, media outburst followed by government crackdowns and international outcries.

The preparati... continue reading

As we were preparing to complete the first half of 2018, shocking news broke from America, one of the professed liberal space for journalists in a democracy on Earth. A gunman stormed into the newsroom of a Maryland newspaper in USA and killed five media employees including journalists. The 28 June 2018 shooting incide... continue reading

As the alternate media expands its reaches to hundred thousand Indians across the country, thanks to increasingly cheaper internet connectivity, its restraint and liability also start surfacing in public discourses. The limitation and gradually losing credibility of the mainstream media may pave the way for a boosting... continue reading

As the year 2017 sets to bid adieu, India finds itself in an embracing situation with the annual statistics of 12 journalists either murdered or died in suspicious situations. The populous country, better known as the largest democracy in the globe, thus emerges as one of the hazardous place for media persons across t... continue reading

Basundhara (not her real name) often comes to the press club for meeting friends and kill extra time. Though she is working in the news desk of an Assamese newspaper, she had never worked as a mainstream reporter. But coming to press club she finds friends from both the print and television media and take the opportuni... continue reading

It was a dusky winter day of 2001 when I met Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus at his Grameen office in Dhaka. The timing was fixed through internet communication before I left for Bangladesh and it was my first meeting with the revolutionary banker to the poor. Our interaction started with goodwill messages and slowly ... continue reading

The media fraternity of India observed an unusual Gandhi Jayanti this time as scores of scribes across the country organized protest demonstrations in different locations with sole demand for ensuring security & justice to working journalists. Press clubs, journo-bodies and media organizations formed human chains, symb... continue reading

South Asian nations like India and Pakistan emerge as dangerous places for working journalists. As the year 2017 completes half of its journey, the region has lost over 10 journalists to assailants. The list of victims was also contributed by Maldives and Bangladesh, where as Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka could evade any... continue reading

Guwahati: It was assumed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would declare the Dhola-Sadiya bridge of Assam in the name of Dr Bhupen Hazarika and was also apprehended that the Communist China would react to the project as it is hardly 100 km away from India-Tibet (China) border. And both turned into reality.

On comple... continue reading

Guwahati: Series of resourceful programmes along with cultural activities in front of enthusiast audience turned the venue of 1st Brahmaputra Literary Festival into a confluence of creative writers, energetic journalists, committed filmmakers, active theatre personalities, dynamic publishing professionals etc to attra... continue reading

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As the year 2016 roles on for the final hours, India stands as one of the worst places for working journalists similar to the conflict-ridden nations like Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Mexico, Libya, Afghanistan etc. The largest democracy in the globe witnessed the murder of six journalists till the middle of December, ... continue reading

For many political pundits, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reflects only the Hindutva sentiment with plentiful arrogances, but the enthusiastic party has cleverly formed a northeastern political alliance comprising various regional and ethnic political parties to dilute the said impression. The saffron party, which t... continue reading

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As the first half of the year 2016 passes on, India emerges as one of the worst places for working journalists similar to the conflict-ridden nations like Mexico, Yemen, Afghanistan and Iraq. The largest democracy of the globe witnessed the murder of four journalists in the first six months of the year, here th... continue reading

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It was a spectacular show, where a young tribal leader took the pledge to serve over 30 million people of Assam with all his sincerity and commitment. Braving the bright afternoon sunshine of the summer season, over one hundred thousand euphoric well-wishers assembled at the venue to witness the historic moment... continue reading

As India witnessed the murder of three journalists this year (eight since Jan 2015), the demand for special protection laws to journalists on duty is also mounting. Protesting rigorously against the killing of two scribes in Bihar and Jharkhand this month, the media fraternity across the country rose to the occasion f... continue reading

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As Myanmar (formerly Burma) is opening up to the world, various experts are advocating for India’s pro-active initiatives in this fast changing neighborhood. Two recently concluded discourses in different parts of northeast India revealed that the participants in large numbers supported New Delhi’s aggressive i... continue reading

It was a usual protest demonstration, where thousands took part chanting slogans against anti-national elements while marching on the busy streets of Guwahati, the virtual capital of northeast India. But aftershocks of the protest march elongated for days in the trouble-torn region, where a section of media outlets eve... continue reading

The residents of northeast India, whom the mainstream Indian agencies often consider sympathizers to various separatist militant outfits, joined in 67th Republic Day (of India) celebrations to pay their heartfelt tributes to the martyrs. For the first time in recent decades, the auspicious day on 26 January 2016 was ob... continue reading

Totally dependent on the advertisement revenues, where the monetary contribution from millions of viewers never reach the management of news channels, Nava Thakuria ponders how do these media outlets can pursue ethical and impartial journalism.

The recent closure of a Guwahati based satellite news channel unearthed ... continue reading

It was a crowded citizens' gathering organized at Guwahati Press Club on March 14 that elaborately discussed the wildlife conservation effort in northeast India, where the speakers unanimously urged the province government of Assam to immediately hand over the case of rampant wildlife poaching in various forest reserve... continue reading

It was a dusky evening of November, 2010 when I met Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in his Grameen tower office. The date and time were fixed before I left Guwahati (a northeast Indian city) for Dhaka.

It was Ramadan (Ramjan) month and Prof Yunus was fasting. He offered me a cup of tea and some ... continue reading

It was a hurriedly organized citizen’s meeting at Guwahati Press Club, where serious concerns were expressed at the increasing trend of poaching and killing of wildlife in various parts of Assam. The meeting that took place on December 30 urged the Assam government to activate the forest department and its public relat... continue reading

It is widely discussed and accepted that the media persons in Assam (of Northeast India) have to perform their deities under tremendous work load but with low return in terms of salary and other legitimate facilities. The State witnessed a media boom in the last decade, but the media persons including the journalists c... continue reading

Second day of October is celebrated in India with great enthusiasm as it signifies the birth anniversary of the father of Indian nation Mahatma Gandhi (and also of a former Prime Minister and a man of principle Lal Bahadur Shastri). Gandhi, a personality comprising unbelievable simplicity, honesty, commitment and leade... continue reading

Loosing an important ballot race in the Constituent Assembly for the 'Head of the State' and his subordinate, the rebellion communists of Nepal find themselves in an embracing situation. The emergence of a three party alliance, opposing the Maoists, has even compelled the Maoist leader Prachanda, who was projected as t... continue reading

Corruption in journalism often makes news in Indian media. The creator of news also emerges as a matter of reporting in many parts of the country. The alienated Northeast too never ignored the trend. In fact, soon after the arrest of an Assamese scribe for his involvement in a bribery case with a seasoned politician, t... continue reading

Soon after the declaration of the extension of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest  by the Burmese junta,  the condemnation poured on the military rulers from  the  world communities. From the United Nations to European Union and the United States of America to other pro-democratic regimes in the gl... continue reading

Finally Assam government has bowed down to the growing public outrages. Following intense public pressure, the province government of Northeast India,  has favoured for a CBI probe into the cases of rhino poaching at different preserves in the state. The state chief minister Tarun Gogoi  on May 2 declare... continue reading

Ignoring the continued international pressure to boycott the ruling military junta of Burma (Myanmar), India has geared up for signing of a deal to develop a port in western Burmese coast for the benefit of its restive Northeast, where secessionist movement had inspired a number of insurgent outfits to declare a war ag... continue reading

Northeast India has turned in to a land of happenings. From insurgency to ethnic tension and economic activities to cultural discourses, it started drawing the attention of media worldwide. The alienated region of the country has suddenly woken up to an anniversary of a massacre that took place 25 years back in Assam. ... continue reading

Democracy may usually mean people's might, but many a time it turns into an useful tool for endless exploitation by the 'men in power'. At least, if one passionately looks at the recent development of rhino poaching in Assam that arousing public outcries, but in contrast, the prolonged reluctance of the government to a... continue reading

If a chief minister in India is identified as the head of a state government and the governors are recognized as the constitutional heads of the states.  The Indian Constitution has given most of the political power to the chief minister, but the governors are also empowered with some special power under various p... continue reading

It may be vital for many to save the endangered rhinos in India's celebrated parks, but for a section of media persons in Northeast, it seemingly becomes more important to safeguard the forest minister. While wildlife lovers around the globe rail against the authority of Kaziranga National Park for its failure to prote... continue reading

If the mainland India observed the 59th Republic Day with fun fare, the trouble torn northeastern region of the country celebrated the Day with utmost conviction. Comprising eight States, the land locked region had been witnessing a regular ban on the celebration of both the Independence and R-Day of India by the outla... continue reading

Bangladesh, though it had witnessed an eventful 2007 amidst the emergency, postponement of general election, human rights violation and the arrest of some senior most political leader, ended the year with some positive initiatives for empowering judiciary in the poverty stricken country. Waiting for the general ... continue reading

Bhutan, the tiny Himalayan kingdom has set a milestone embracing its first general election on the last day of 2007. When Pakistan, Burma and Nepal are bleeding on their ways to achieve a democratic regime in their countries, Bhutan has shown a different picture, where a monarch comes out for a democratic set up in his... continue reading

The land of armed movements sustained by the anti-New Delhi separatists’ militias has woken up to a new threat from religious fundamentalists fuelled by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to make Northeastern India a volatile region in the continent.

 
The Northeastern region is no stranger to ban... continue reading