TBS journo Zia among 3 Bangladeshi selected for Chevening South Asia Journalism Fellowship

Zia Chowdhury, staff correspondent at The Business Standard, has been selected for the prestigious Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme (SAJP) Fellowship offered by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Hailing from Lakshmipur, Zia will join 19 other journalists from South Asia for an intensive eight-week fellowship at the University of Westminster in London.

This year's cohort includes three journalists from Bangladesh, eight from India, eight from Pakistan, and one from Sri Lanka.

The fellows were selected through a highly competitive multi-stage selection process.

The fellowship titled "Good Governance in a Changing World: the Media, Politics and Society" will run from 14 April to 31 May.

It explores the critical role of journalism in upholding democratic accountability, focusing on institutions such as the government, civil service, and security apparatus, as well as the broader political system in both South Asia and the UK.

As part of the programme, fellows will gain hands-on training and exposure through visits to world-renowned media outlets such as BBC, The Economist, and The Financial Times.

They will also engage in in-depth classroom sessions, seminars, and site visits that provide practical experience and foster dialogue on current policy challenges.

The curriculum places strong emphasis on media ethics, evidence-based reporting, and the dynamics of political systems. Participants will exchange ideas with leading UK academics, political thinkers, and journalists.

A highlight of the programme will be an interactive session with veteran BBC journalist David Loyn, who will share insights from his over three decades in the field.

Earlier in March, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke presented the Chevening award certificates to the selected fellows from Bangladesh, including Zia Chowdhury, during a special event in Dhaka.