The Daily Star has won two prestigious honours -- a gold and a silver -- at the South Asian Digital Media Awards 2026, presented by WAN-IFRA (the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers), cementing its position among the region's most forward-thinking news organisations.
The gold went to the newspaper's investigative report, “Anatomy of BGB Shootings in Rampura”, which was recognised in the "Best Use of Video" category for its powerful visual storytelling. The silver, meanwhile, was awarded to Keeron, an EdTech and upskilling platform of The Daily Star, in the "Most Innovative Digital Product" category.
WAN-IFRA announced the results today, marking a landmark moment for Bangladeshi digital journalism on the regional stage.
WAN-IFRA is the global organisation of the world’s press, representing more than 3,000 media companies and 18,000 publications in over 120 countries. Its Digital Media Awards recognise publishers that lead in digital transformation and innovation, particularly those that adopt digital media and mobile strategies as part of their total product offering to meet the changing ways people consume news and information today.
The award is regarded as the most prestigious recognition for publishers for their outstanding work in digital media.
This year’s Digital Media Awards South Asia highlight excellence in digital innovation, creativity, and audience engagement, showcasing the industry’s push to advance storytelling and tech-driven news experiences.
Prothom Alo secured gold in "Best Marketing Campaign for a News Brand" and a silver in "Best Use of Video".
Participating newsrooms competed across multiple categories, including AI, audience engagement, data visualisation, newsletters, video, audio, digital products, and revenue strategies.
Entries were judged by digital media subject-matter experts, editors, and industry leaders based on innovation, audience impact, and journalistic excellence. All gold winners will advance to WAN-IFRA’s World Digital Media Awards.
The South Asia awards ceremony will be held on June 25, 2026, in Delhi, coinciding with the Digital Media India 2026 conference.
Top-performing finalists, including the gold winners of the Digital Media Awards South Asia 2026, from 78 countries will advance to compete for the World Digital Media Awards in each of the 12 categories, with winners to be announced at the World News Media Congress 2026 in Marseille in June, according to a press release by WAN-IFRA.
“Anatomy of BGB Shootings in Rampura” is a joint investigation by The Daily Star and Tech Global Institute that reveals how a Dhaka neighbourhood became a hotspot of state-sanctioned killings on July 19, 2024. Published on August 6, 2025, the investigation reconstructed the events of that day by analysing over 200 photos and videos captured in the Rampura area -- deploying digital pattern analysis of clothing, weapon identification, and chronolocation techniques to map the movement of state forces.
Keeron aims to help students, graduates, and young professionals accelerate their careers through industry-relevant, practical online courses designed and taught by top local experts, combining recorded lessons, live sessions, mentorship, and real-world case studies to bridge the gap between traditional education and job-market skills, while building a strong learning community with tens of thousands of learners across the country.
Since its launch in 2023, Keeron has achieved significant milestones, including training over 60,000 learners, maintaining high satisfaction rates above 80 percent, and positioning itself as a scalable, career-focused learning ecosystem.
