Media Professionals Discuss Press Freedom, Safety and Cooperation at Jamalpur Summit

JAMALPUR, MUNGER, BIHAR, INDIA | September 22, 2026 | Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha 
The International Media Summit 2026, also referred to as the Global Media Summit 2026, was held in Jamalpur in Bihar’s Munger district, India, with the aim of strengthening dialogue, cooperation and experience-sharing among journalists and media professionals across South Asia.
Organised by the All India Journalists Union (AIJU), India, the summit took place at Siddhi Vinayak Marriage Hall in Jamalpur. Indian Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Dr. Bhim Singh attended as the chief guest, while Munger MLA Pranav Kumar was present as a special guest.
The summit was chaired by Ranjit Samrat, National President of the All India Journalists Union. Journalists and media professionals from Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka participated, including SAARC Journalists Forum International President Raju Lama and Secretary General Abdur Rahman.
Calls for Responsible Journalism and Regional Cooperation
Addressing the gathering, chief guest Dr. Bhim Singh said journalism serves as an important link between society and information, ideas and facts. He said international cooperation among media professionals could help make journalism more responsible and effective.
“Journalism is an important pillar of democracy. Although our borders are different, the responsibility and objective of journalists is to provide society with truth, facts and accurate information. Dialogue and cooperation among journalists in South Asia can make an important contribution to strengthening the journalism sector,” Dr. Singh said.
SAARC Journalists Forum International President Raju Lama also stressed the need for regular dialogue and cooperation among journalists from South Asian countries. He said international conferences such as the Jamalpur summit give journalists an opportunity to understand one another’s experiences and work together on shared issues.
“Relations among South Asian journalists should not be limited to the exchange of news. Cooperation is also necessary on issues such as journalists’ rights, professional safety, press freedom and common challenges facing the media sector. The conference in Jamalpur has created a new environment for such dialogue,” Lama said.
Journalists from Several Countries Participate
The summit was attended by SAARC Journalists Forum Nepal Chapter Convener Rudra Subedi, Co-Convener Md. Arif Ansari, Bihar Chapter President Dr. Shashi Bhushan Kumar, Madhesh Chapter Coordinator Md. Sadab Malik, and members Ramesh Chandra Kumal, Azmat Ali, Sushil Kumar Khadka, Abhilash Gupta, Pawan Prasad Sah and Arun Kalwar.
Other journalists and media professionals from different countries also took part in the event.
Participants discussed current issues affecting journalism and the media sector, exchanging experiences from their respective countries and regions. Discussions covered challenges facing journalism, developments in communication technology, journalists’ professional safety, international cooperation and ways to strengthen relations among South Asian media professionals.
Organisers Highlight Importance of the Summit
The organisers said the first international journalism summit held in Jamalpur had established an important foundation for further strengthening mutual relations, dialogue and cooperation among journalists and media professionals across South Asia.
Participating journalists said the summit brought media professionals from different countries together on a common platform and created an opportunity to exchange views on shared issues in journalism. They expressed hope that the conference would pave the way for more effective cooperation and regular dialogue among South Asian media professionals in the future.