Palash Mahmud named Digital Media Icon of the Year

Senior journalist Palash Mahmud has been honoured with the DMF Excellence Award 2025 as the Digital Media Icon of the Year for his outstanding contribution to transforming Bangladesh’s digital journalism landscape.

The Digital Media Forum (DMF), which annually recognizes pioneers in digital and data journalism, presented the award at a ceremony on Saturday (25 October 2025), celebrating innovation and leadership in the country’s media industry.

Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Shafiqul Alam handed over the award as the chief guest.

With over 15 years of experience, Palash Mahmud has played a key role in developing digital and audience-based journalism across several leading media houses. He currently serves as Editor (Online) at The Daily Kalbela, where he oversees the news portal, multimedia, entertainment, and online sales operations.

Before joining Kalbela, Palash led digital transformation at Desh TV, RTV, and Somoy TV, significantly boosting traffic and audience engagement across all platforms.

Under his leadership, RTV Online became the top-ranked TV channel website in Bangladesh within 49 days of his joining, while Somoy TV’s portal saw a threefold increase in visitors.
A graduate of Jahangirnagar University, Palash is also known for his voluntary work on consumer rights. In 2016, he founded the Conscious Consumer Society (CCS) and its youth wing Consumer Youth Bangladesh, which have been spearheading a nationwide social movement to promote and protect consumer rights.

He has completed professional training in digital journalism, data visualization, and online media strategy from institutions including Reuters, Meta, and Michigan State University. 

The Digital Media Forum, a professional organization for digital media officials in Bangladesh, promotes collaboration, innovation, and training in the country’s evolving media sector. It hosts the Digital Media Excellence Awards annually to recognize individuals and organizations contributing to digital journalism and innovation.