Though I was involved with irregular writing, I got attached to journalism actively since my university days. Before completing my Secondary level, one of my write-ups was published in the Daily Al Mujjaded newspaper. When I was a college student, I started playing the role of contributor and correspondent in different monthly and weekly newspapers headquartered in Dhaka.
Later, I started mainstream journalism at the Daily Ajkaler Khabar as a University correspondent when I was a first-year student at Chittagong University. At the same time, I was involved with the Daily Prothom Alo’s regional publication ‘Alokito Chattogram’ and turned into a contributor to the education page at the Daily Inqilab.
Besides, I started editing a little mag titled ‘Dhupchhaya’. Consequently, I started the role of university correspondent for Dhaka-based daily the Daily Manabjamin and after a certain time, I was appointed as ‘Staff Reporter’ of the same newspaper in Chattogram.
In 2005, I switched to the Daily Azadi which is an old and renowned regional daily of the locality, and served there for the next 10 years. In 2010, I was transferred to the Dhaka office of the Daily Azadi and played the role of ‘Senior Reporter; for five consecutive years. At the same time, on May 15, 2011, I joined a set to launch a national daily named ‘Adhinayak’ and worked there for a year. But finally, the newspaper was not launched and the owners bought another new daily named ‘Amader Samay’. I worked as a staff reporter on that daily too. Later, I joined the Daily Bhorer Kagoj in February 2011. There I worked for over four years and dealt with bits like the Secretariat, Parliament, politics, environment, NGO, human rights issues, health and education among others.
In line with journalism, I also worked for some online publications and among them, AllMediaLink, BartaBangla, Allnewslinker, Bandhab Social Media, NGO News etc. are remarkable.
As part of the recognition of my contribution, I have achieved several fellowships and awards including awards from the WFP, UNAIDS, World Bank, and Bangladesh Press Institute (PIB) are notable.
Among the awards, I received the UNAIDS media award in 2007 for the best reporting, the WFP Media Award for the best reporting on food security in 2008, DRU-ICRS Best Article Award in 2009 for the best reporting on human rights in courtesy of Dhaka Reporters Unity and Red Cross. At the same time, I achieved the Disaster Management Media Award for the best reporting on climate change issues from the Food and Disaster Risk Management Ministry of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, ‘Journalist Award’ by the World Bank and Naree Unnayan Shakti for best reporting about stigma and discrimination of HIV and AIDS, JATRI fellowship in 2010 and a media fellowship from UNESCO-Bandhu for the health and human rights issues of LGBT people in 2011. Besides, in 2011 I achieved another fellowship from Progga and Bangladesh Press Institute for the best report on tobacco control issues 2011 and in the next year, I also achieved PIB and Progga Journalism Award.
In 2012, I took part in training in Chennai, India obtaining a fellowship from International Institute for Journalism in Germany. In the same year, I took part in the World Climate Conference in Doha, Qatar under a fellowship from OXFAM, an international NGO.
I also got another chance to join Nepal at the South Asian Journalists’ Conference under the fellowship of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in Washington DC, USA.
In 2014, I got an opportunity to work at the Orange Magazine under a fellowship from the European Youth Press (EYP).
Since then, I have resided in Germany permanently. I am an entrepreneur of Digbazar and also the CEO of the company. Simultaneously, I have been playing the role of editor-in-chief of a popular online news portal bartabangla.com and media consultant on Allmedialink.com. Besides, I am also involved with Blogging & Vlogging.
I have traveled to different countries for my professional assignments and training purposes and they include France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Romania, Spain, South Africa, Austria, Poland, Qatar, Nepal and India among others.
Though my real name is Mahmudul Hasan, I am popular in my pen names like Mahmud Moni, Moni Mahmud, Mrinmoy Bustan etc. I completed graduation in Bengali from Chittagong University in 2005 while getting a post-graduation from the same university in 2006. My better half Nazmun Nahar (Chumki) was involved in teaching at a college after obtaining her MPhil from the University of Dhaka. I have two kids, Souhard and Sompriti.
I was born in Narsingdi district in Bangladesh. My parents were in government service and I am the youngest of the five siblings.