The Red Light of Prothom Alo and the Responsibility of Building a Better Future

The Red Light of Prothom Alo and Our Responsible Future

In business, a red light is a warning sign—indicating that something is going terribly wrong. It’s like saying, “The game is over.” We often witness this reality across various companies and products. When a brand loses the trust of its audience, its red light switches on. Ironically, Prothom Alo has built a business centered around this very red light. It’s a profound truth: the very issue that should have marked its downfall has instead become its capital. Yet, their red light hasn’t stopped flashing—it has only grown brighter. Why? Because they have mastered the art of exploiting the weak spots in societal thinking to strengthen their own position.

Prothom Alo’s resource capacity has kept it alive. Their survival isn’t just rooted in journalism but in their financial power, strong backing, and the media empire they've meticulously built over time. To stay relevant in any competitive field, one must rise to a level where there are no competitors. This idea doesn’t just apply to the media—it’s universally true. You become a true leader only when you elevate your quality and standing so high that no one can replace you.

Let’s face it—there really isn’t a newspaper in Bangladesh that matches Prothom Alo in quality. Many are trying hard, no doubt, but in terms of readership, influence, and presence, Prothom Alo remains unmatched. The way they have reached their audience makes other media outlets look like mere novices. They still lack the depth, capability, and reach that Prothom Alo has achieved. Our media landscape has been shaped in such a way that Prothom Alo enjoys near-total dominance. In Bangladesh, the left controls the narrative, while those who claim to represent the right remain indifferent to leadership. This is a tragic reality. Instead of creating alternatives, thoughtful and value-driven individuals are themselves confused and indifferent.

Our first instinct whenever we oppose something is to protest—and this has become a habit, both politically and socially. But our language of protest is always the same: limited to slogans shouted in the streets. This brings about no long-term change. It’s foolish to seek solutions to every problem on the streets. Instead of venting anger through slogans, we need to analyze problems and pursue sustainable solutions. Many major national issues have faded away in the noise of street protests because we haven’t learned to walk the path of structural or organizational change.

We seem overly obsessed with short-term success. This has become part of our national character. We believe only what we see, never questioning the reality behind it. But our goals must be set with deeper thought. We need objectives that not only address the present but also guide us toward a better future. There’s no point in standing on the ruins of a system and merely expressing despair. True success comes when we stand on those ruins and begin building something new with determination. History shows that many great revolutions have begun from within destruction. With courage, vision, and planning, those ruins can become the foundation of a new beginning.

If we want to free readers from Prothom Alo’s yellow journalism, the only way is to offer a better-quality newspaper. People will only shift to an alternative when it clearly offers more value. Criticism, protests, boycotts—these only work when there's a viable option in hand. Readers may be confused today, but they are not entirely unaware. If they find objective, in-depth, and value-based news and analysis, they will respond positively.

Prothom Alo has many resources that have positioned it as a media giant. They didn’t reach this point overnight—it took time, effort, support, and cooperation from centers of power. To bring them down from that position, we must not merely oppose them. Rather, we must rally the conscious citizens of this country and invest our fullest to build a media platform rich with unmatched resources. This task may be difficult, but it is not impossible. What we need is confidence, unity, and the right direction.

If readers find credible journalism on another platform, the red light within Prothom Alo will truly begin to glow. And that light will not only lead to the downfall of Prothom Alo, but it will also pave the way for new thoughts and awareness in society. The red light in Prothom Alo’s business will indeed flicker in the near future—this is our hope. But that hope will only be realized if we all come together and commit ourselves to building a better alternative.