PETALING JAYA: Bangladeshi journalist Mahfuz Anam (pic) – the editor and publisher of his country’s largest-selling English daily, The Daily Star – has been elected as Asia News Network’s (ANN) next chairman.

       The 72-year-old takes over from Warren Fernandez on Jan 1, 2022, for a two-year term.

       This will be Anam’s second stint as chairman of the alliance; he was first appointed ANN chairman in 2007.

       Anam was nominated by Fernandez, the editor-in-chief of The Straits Times and the English/Malay/Tamil Media Group of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Media, and unanimously elected by the ANN Board.

       The regional alliance, comprising 23 leading Asian news titles, was founded in 1999.

       Anam started his journalism career in 1972 and brings with him several decades of valuable experience as a media and communication specialist to lead the grouping.

       After working in the United Nations for 14 years, he co-founded The Daily Star in 1991 as Bangladesh was transitioning to a democracy.

       His editorial direction and commentaries on the country’s socio-political issues saw the newspaper rising quickly to become the most-read English daily in the country.

       Anam, who is a pro- democracy advocate, also once found himself being sued in court for his criticism of Bangladesh’s two largest political parties.

       He dismissed the charges as attacks on press freedom.

       ANN aims to establish a global footprint as Asia’s most authoritative media voice and work to bring Asia closer through editorial collaboration.

       It was set up to promote Asian journalism and share the story of an Asian century from an Asian perspective.

       According to Anam, ANN aimed to “tell the world how Asia is forging ahead in this complex and ever-changing world and share knowledge and experience to build a better future”.

       “It has taken us some time but now that we have established the ANN on a proper legal and financial footing, it is time to pass on the chairmanship in the interest of good governance,” Fernandez noted.

       “In Mahfuz, we have a wise and respected media veteran, a founding member of the ANN Board.

       “There are few who have both his breadth of experience and sense of strong commitment to regional collaboration to take on the challenge of leading ANN and bringing it forward at this critical time,” he added.

       ANN’s website can be viewed at https://asianews.network/