The Bangladesh Communications Professionals Society (BCPS) has organized a masterclass on "AI in Development Communications," training communications professionals on practical applications of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and communication outputs.
Held at the Unnayan Samannay Auditorium in Banglamotor, Dhaka, on 8 August, the masterclass focused on applying AI to real-world communications tasks rather than simply introducing concepts and tools, according to a press release.
What the training covered
Participants explored how AI can support everyday communications work, including preparing press releases, reports and speeches; developing social media content and communication strategies; conducting research and data analysis; and generating and refining content ideas. The training also covered effective Prompt Engineering and responsible AI use, with participants encouraged to combine AI-assisted work with human judgement, creativity, strategic thinking and professional accountability.
The sessions were facilitated by Md Abdur Rouf, creative lead (AI) at Nagad. He has trained professionals from corporate organizations, development agencies and educational institutions on practical AI applications. Maliha Tabassum, assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Bangladesh University of Professionals and director of research at BCPS, conducted a session titled "Text-Based Work: Generating Stories, Articles, Presentations and More Using AI."
What the organizers said
Tony Michael Gomes, chairperson of BCPS, said effective use of AI would increasingly become an important professional competency. "AI is not a replacement for communications professionals. It is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance their capabilities," he said, adding that professionals who combine AI with human creativity, judgement and strategic thinking would be better prepared for the future of work.
More than 35 communications professionals from development organizations, corporate communications, media, government, NGOs, educational institutions and freelance practice attended the masterclass. Zakia Haq Neela, director of capacity building at BCPS, coordinated the training.
Why this matters for PR and communications professionals
For communications professionals, the practical takeaway is that AI skills are becoming a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator. The training's emphasis on combining AI output with human judgement points to a specific workflow: use AI to draft press releases, reports and social content, then apply editorial oversight before anything goes out. Professionals who build this habit now - particularly around AI for PR & Communications tasks like media monitoring and message development - will have a measurable efficiency advantage over those who treat AI as an optional extra.
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