Noted media personality and agriculture development activist Shykh Seraj turns 61 today. He was born to Obaydul Huq and Ershadunnesa on September 7 in 1954 in Chandpur district.
He did his Masters in Geography from the University of Dhaka. Since his student life, he was deeply involved with media, cultural and developmental activities. He became extremely popular as the host of the famous agricultural documentary, 'Mati O Manush' (Soil & Men). In 1995 at the age of 39, he became the youngest ever to receive the highest state accolade 'Ekushey Padak' for his brilliance in development journalism.
For over three decades, Shykh Seraj has remained a forerunner of development journalism in Bangladesh. Due to his in-depth analytical broadcasting of news, news-features and publications, farming sector of the country has been blessed with optimistic changes.
In its forty-three years of journey as an independent nation Bangladesh has secured remarkable achievements in ensuring food security and boosting the overall agricultural sector of the economy. These have become subject matters of many a successful story. And behind these successes, an indispensable part has been played by none other than Shykh Seraj.
Shykh Seraj who received the fellowship of Ashoka in US in 1992 for his TV programmes on poverty alleviation added yet another international recognition to his name in 2009. In this year he was awarded the 'A. H Boerma Award' by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of UN for persistent contribution in developing the state of farmers. He also received Bangladesh Economic Association Gold Medal, UK's BCA Golden Jubilee Honour Award, a prestigious recognition from British House of Commons, Green Award from Birmingham community along with more than fifty other honours and accolades in home and abroad.
Shykh Seraj has implemented the television media to make a bridge between urban and rural people. With his exceptional media enterprises, television does not live in the boundaries of entertainment anymore. Now television has become an agent of change for the rural livelihood, economy and society in the hands of Shykh Seraj and a vital information source for policymakers of the state.
Besides playing the role as a regular host and director for Channel i and BTV's agricultural programmes, Shykh Seraj writes regularly for famous newspapers and magazines. He has successfully included farm news in the national bulletin and also initiated the first-ever agricultural page on a reputed daily, which is now followed by other TV stations and newspapers.
He has written many books; noted ones are 'Motsho Manual', 'Mati O Manusher Chashbash', 'Farmers' File', 'Matir Kachey Manusher Kachey', 'Bangladesher Krishi: Prekhkhapot 2008', 'Krishi O Gonomadhdhom', 'Krishi Budget Krishoker Budget' (Edited), 'Amar Shopner Krishi', Krishi Budget Krishoker Budget (2011), Shomokalin Krishi O Onnano Proshongo (2011), Krishi O Unnayan Chinta (2013) etc.