CHAPAINAWABGANJ, May 21:–Centre for Communication and Development (CCD) organised two-day long workshop on "Orientation of Journalists on HIV/AIDS Issue" under the auspices of CARE-Bangladesh at the hall room of local Zila Parishad on May 17 and 18.

Around 30 journalists of different dailies and electronic media from Chapainawabganj district and Godagari upazila of Rajshahi district participated in the workshop. Dulal Chandra Biswas, Chairman, Mass Communication Department, Rajshahi University (RU), Mashihur Rahman, Associate Professor, Mass Communication Department RU, and Ahmed Shariar, Programme Officer, CARE acted as the resource persons in the workshop.

Dulal said that according to statistics of the WHO, 13000 people of different ages had been infected with HIV/AIDS and 650 AIDS patients died in the country till the end of 2001.

He also said that there are 1.5 lakh regular sex workers in the country and 6 per cent of them are carrying HIV virus and transmitting it to the male sex-partners everyday through sexual contact. They discussed origin and prevention of HIV/AIDS, the present situation of AIDS in different countries of the world including Bangladesh, role of Mass media and journalists in prevention of HIV/AIDS and other matters related to the issue.

Local Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Golam Mortuza, the aforesaid resource persons, Golam Mortuza, Executive Director, CCD, Anwar Hossain Dilu, District Correspondent of the Prothom Alo and NSM Mahabur Rahman Mintu, Vice Principal, Balugra Adarsha College addressed the concluding session. Performance of Gombhira (local folk song) and distribution of certificates among the participants by the Civil Surgeon marked the end of the workshop.

CCD is Rajshahi-based NGO working for enhancing the professional skill of the journalists and workers of the mass media in the northern region of the country.