Sylhet, Broadcasting News Corporation: Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has called for confronting authoritarian forces through the upcoming elections. She stated that the defeated forces are still active. However, their power is much less than that of the rising forces.

The advisor made these remarks as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of a journalist training workshop on elections at the Sylhet Press Club on Saturday (January 3, 2026). The training workshop was held at the Sylhet Press Club auditorium, organized by the Bangladesh Press Institute (PIB). The director general of PIB, Faruk Wasif, presided over the event, and Information Secretary Farzana Mahbub attended as a special guest. The program was conducted by Mohammad Sirajul Islam, editor of Sylhet Press Club.
On February 12, Syeda Rizwana Hasan called on the people of the country to participate spontaneously in the national parliamentary elections and referendum, stating that the current government is determined to organize the elections despite all obstacles. In his speech as a special guest, the Secretary mentioned that media personnel and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting belong to the same family. Journalists will play a leading role in organizing the 13th national parliamentary elections and referendum smoothly. He urged journalists to curb all kinds of rumors and misinformation. At the same time, he called on journalists to play a responsible role by engaging in investigative journalism on the path of truth and justice.

Fifty journalists from various organizations, including the Sylhet Press Club, participated in the workshop. Under this program aimed at providing training to media personnel at the district level, 3,800 journalists across the country will be trained. The training will cover topics such as election law, affidavits, dispute resolution, code of conduct, reporter preparation, field-level election coverage, observation of elections and politics by observers, by-elections, fact-checking and AI, safety and security, post-election chaos, brawls, and election conduct.