Akhbar-e Mashriq Urdu daily of Kolkata started its journalistic career twenty-five years ago when its first issue appeared on 25 April 1980.
A peep into its past offers memories of bitter and sweet days and of trials and tribulations which pass before the eyes and mind like a slow motion picture. In those days Urdu newspapers in eastern India were virtually in stone age, containing three or four pages only, crude printing, and no direct source of their own. Under such conditions Akhbar-e Mashriq was unique among Urdu newspapers in the sense that from day one it was published in offset printing and held independent views, without toeing the line of any particular political party or group.
Among all the newspapers published from Kolkata in different languages Akhbar-e Mashriq was the second newspaper published in offset printing, the first one being the Bengali daily Satyug. With the patronage of its readers, this newspaper went on growing in circulation and new and advanced techniques were introduced. Earlier, the newspaper was published on sheetfed offset machine under which only two pages could be printed at one time but now, like other large and important newspapers, Akhbar-e Mashriq has its own web offset printing press through which the entire process of printing, cutting, folding and colour photographing is automatic and the complete newspaper of eight pages is ready in one go. Recently an accelerator has been added which expedites the production capacity. Now the circulation of this paper is not limited to Kolkata only but it is also popular and read in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, UP, Delhi and other states.
If a period of 25 years in a newspaper’s life is not long, it is not small either. Silver Jubilee of Akhbar-e Mashriq has been being celebrated since 25 April 2004. During this period quiz contests for school children of Bengal and other states, educational seminars and literary meetings are held. During the last book fair held in Kolkata, Akhbar-e Mashriq set up its own stall and a humorous mushaira was also organised.
In 1996, Akhbar-e Mashriq started an edition from Delhi also. It is the only Urdu newspaper which has the honour of simultaneously being published from Kolkata as well as Delhi. Its offices were set up recently in Ranchi and Asansol and its correspondents appointed in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and Delhi.
At the end it must be acknowledged that the efforts of editor Mohammad Wasimul Haq, his entire family members and workers of Akhabar-e Mashriq have borne fruit and the seed sown 25 years ago has now grown into a towering tree. MG congratulates Akhbar-e Mashriq on this auspicious occasion, hoping it achieves greater successes in the coming years.
Source: milligazette.com
