Naem Nizam

Naem Nizam(born 5 November 1965) is a Bangladeshi journalist, writer, columnist, and editor of dailyBangladesh Pratidin.Nizam is also the director ofEast West Media Group, the largest media conglomerate in  Bangladesh. He is former CEO ofNews24andRadio Capital.He is the former managing director of STV-US.
Nizam philanthropic endeavors have led to the establishment of Heshakal Bazar Naem Nizam Degree College in his hometown of Comilla, Bangladesh. He is the vice president ofSheikh Russell KC, a professional football club based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League.He is a member ofNewspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh.
Nizam's career has spanned many decades where he has been involved with starting up multiple national media organizations in Bangladesh, including ATN Bangla,Bangladesh Pratidin, News24, T-Sports, theDaily Sun, and STV US."
Nizam was born on 11 November 1965 inNangalkot Upazila,Comilla District,East Pakistan, Pakistan.
Nizam started his career in the late 1980s as a political correspondent and worked at national newspapersAjker KagojandBhorer Kagoj.
Nizam was founding news editor ofATN Bangla.ATN Bangla began broadcasting Bengali-language news programming on 16 August 2001.It later began airing English-language news programming on 1 October 2002.Nizam served as the chief news editor ofATN Bangla.
Nizam was the managing director ofSTV-US, a Bengali language television channel based in New York City in 2006.
Nizam served as first CEO ofNews24, a 24 hour news channel, and is currently director of its parent company, East West Media Group.In November 2013, theBangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commissiongranted East West Media Group a broadcasting license to operate News24.It received its frequency allocation in January 2015.The channel began test broadcasts on 25 March 2016.
Nizam is a member of theEditors' Councila grouping of the newspaper editors of Bangladesh. In that capacity he along with other editors including that ofProthom Alosigned a statement demanding the release ofMahmudur Rahman, protesting the raid on newspaperDaily Inqilaband the arrest and harassment of journalists across theBangladesh. They also criticized the new broadcast policy saying it would harm the freedom of the media.
Nizam was sued by  Ashikur Rahman Miku, general secretary of theBangladesh Volleyball Federationfollowing the publication of a critical report about him 18 May 2012. On 3 June 2012, Miku filed a defamation case against him. On 15 September 2015, Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Zakaria of a Narail court issued an arrest warrant against him.Nizam secured bail from the court after appearing before it.
On 6 July 2014, Nizam attended an iftar hosted by former Prime MinisterKhaleda Ziafor prominent newspaper editors and journalists.
In March 2015, Nizam received threats from Safiur Rahman Farabi, an Islamic extremist. Farabi was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion and charged under Information and Communication Technology Act. On 11 April 2019, Farabi was acquitted by Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossai of the Cyber Tribunal Court.On 16 February 2021, Farabi was sentenced to life imprisonment in theAvijit Roymurder case.
On 5 October 2017, Nizam was summoned a local Dhaka Court by Metropolitan Magistrate Debabrata Biswas following a case filed by Dhaka Lawyers Association President Saidur Rahman Manik.The case alleged a joke about lawyers in an editorial by Member of ParliamentGolam Mawla Ronydefamed lawyers.In December 2017, he was sued by reserved Member of Parliament,Lutfunnesafollowing a report onBangladesh Pratidinon corruption by her and her husband.The member of parliament was criticized by theBangladesh Federal Union of Journalistsand theDhaka Union of Journalistsfor filling the case.
On 16 August 2017, a legal notice was served against Nizam by the organizing secretary of theBangladesh Awami Olama League, Maulana Abdul Jalil, for publishing a column byTaslima Nasreen.On 23 August 2017, Nizam was appointment member of theBangladesh Press Council.
An arrest warrant was issued against Nizam in January 2018, following a defamation case filed by Awami League politician and StateMinister of Primary and Mass Education,Motahar Hossain. He had filed the defamation case following a report on his corruption published onBangladesh Pratidinon 9 April 2014. The issue of an arrest warrant was condemned by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and the Dhaka Union of Journalists.He condemned the passage of the Digital Security Act, 2018.
On 16 September 2019, Nizam was elected general secretary of the Editors' Council whileMahfuz Anamwas elected president.In a statement of the Editors Council he condemned the usage ofDigital Security Actto arrest journalists.In August 2020, a statement issued by the council and signed by Nizam condemned the absence of national newspapers from the "government list of online news portals".The statement said it was unreasonable to require special permission or separate licenses for online versions of national newspapers.
In 2020, Nizam was awarded the Bashir Ahmed Award.In June,Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unitinvestigated his accounts and that of his colleague in Bangladesh Pratidin, Peer Habibur Rahman.He called on the Ministry of Finance to reduce the import duty on newsprint in a virtual meeting with Finance MinisterAHM Mustafa Kamalin April 2021.
Nizam was elected director ofSheikh Russel KC, sponsored byBashundhara Group,on 29 May 2021.
Nizam is married to journalistFarida Yasminsince 1990 and has two children.Farida Yasminwas a member of the 12th Bangladeshi Parliament.She is the current two-term president of the National Press Club of Bangladesh. Previously, she was elected the first female general secretary and first female president of theNational Press Club of Bangladesh.