Dhaka:A three-day refresher training program focused on local government election reporting, information integrity, and journalist safety has commenced at the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in Dhaka. The event, which started on Tuesday, includes 20 media professionals and academics who will later provide training nationwide.
According to United News of Bangladesh, UNESCO and PIB organized the Refresher Training of Trainers under the UN Electoral Assistance Project BALLOT. This program extends the impact of a previous PIB Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative that trained over 2,600 journalists across 60 districts earlier in January-February 2026.
PIB Director General Faruk Wasif highlighted the importance of recognizing disinformation and attempts to manipulate information on social media for fact-based reporting. He stated that with UNESCO's support through the UNDP-led BALLOT Project, PIB is enhancing these skills among grassroots journalists.
The refresher course emphasizes local government election reporting as a priority identified following the earlier ToT and subsequent training initiatives. Participants will improve their skills in this domain, along with information integrity and journalist safety, before conducting PIB training programs on local government elections across the country.
Dr. Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, stressed the importance of accurate reporting for voters to make informed decisions about community services during local elections. She expressed hope that PIB's trainers will build on their previous work to prepare journalists for comprehensive coverage of local elections ahead of national elections.
The participants hail from various media organizations and academia. Andres Del Castillo Sanchez, Chief Technical Advisor of BALLOT, remarked on the significant impact campaign information can have on voter choices and public trust, emphasizing the need for journalists to verify information throughout election campaigns, especially in local elections where community impacts are direct.