Prothom Alo’s Tahmid Zarif Named Among World’s Top 30 Young News Media Leaders
Tahmid Zarif, a talented executive from Prothom Alo, has received a significant international award. The International News Media Association (INMA) honored him among its “30 Under 30” winners. This award celebrates young professionals under 30 who are rising stars in the news media industry.
Mr. Zarif is the Advertisement and Business Development Executive at Prothom Alo. He joined the leading Bangladeshi news house in 2024 as a junior executive in advertisement. Within just 18 months, he quickly rose to an executive position. This fast progress highlights his clear strategies and strong ability to create valuable media business models.
INMA praised Mr. Zarif for finding new ways to generate income. He successfully identified areas that were not well served in the market. He then transformed these areas into profitable new projects. For example, he launched Bornil Berano, a luxury travel magazine. This magazine earned 1.1 million Taka in advertising revenue. It also met a need for five-star hotels and airlines.
He also created a special aviation supplement across the country. Additionally, he started Check In, a magazine for the hotel industry. This captured value from Bangladesh’s growing tourism sector. One of his most important projects was Unnayan Shongi. This was Bangladesh’s first media publication focused on non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Unnayan Shongi secured major partners like BRAC and Shakti Foundation. It generated 17.16 million Taka in revenue from the NGO sector in 2025. Mr. Zarif uses information and new ideas to create successful products. This makes him a future leader who can help Bangladeshi media grow sustainably and effectively.
INMA judges chose candidates who showed expertise and achievements. They also looked for strong leadership skills. These honorees were under 30 years old and worked for a news media company. They needed to show an ability to help shape the news media industry.
Earl J Wilkinson is the executive director and CEO of INMA. He said that this group of “30 Under 30” honorees shows where news media is going. The industry is focusing on data, new products, and understanding audiences. Mr. Wilkinson added that these young professionals are already changing the business. INMA is proud to recognize their work.
