In conversation with Towhida Srabonno

You are a doctor and a popular TV show presenter. How do you balance both the professions?

I am a very hard-working person and from morning till night I keep on working either at the hospital or the television stations or even studying in the library or working out at the gym. I never stop myself from anything. I never gave up on my medical studies while being a presenter. I have completed my MBBS, FCPS part one and I have also cracked the BCS examination. So, I kept on pursuing both my profession with the same passion and diligence.

How did your family encourage you in all this?

I come from a family where education comes first and my father always wanted me to become a doctor. So I was always encouraged to become a doctor rather than a presenter. Even today I have plans to continue my higher education in medical studies as per my father's wish. My family has been my support system throughout, even though I did not get much encouragement for pursing anchoring.

Could you share your journey as a TV show presenter?

Well it all started back in 2014. Channel 24 was looking for a new presenter for a few shows and I decided to appear at the audition. I was selected and eventually I started working for them and did a few shows. Later, the turning point of my career came when I started to host a cricket show for GTV during ICC T20 World Cup 2014.

How did the passion for anchoring begin?

Since my childhood I was always very much interested in extracurricular and cultural activities. I used to sing, dance, act, anchor or host events and debate programs. As I loved all this, I wanted to study in Dhaka University and even got selected during the admission test. However, I also got selected at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, and my parents wanted me to study medicine rather than fine arts. But my passion for anchoring never died and I finally went ahead with this in 2014 and whatever I am today is because of my dedication and focus.

Tell us more about the projects have you worked in?

I have done 15 television commercials for brands like Robi, Ispahani, Samsung, Vision Washing Machine, Berger Paints, Pran Frooto and many more. I have also worked with many fashion houses and have been published on the cover of many different magazines.

Did you ever consider acting in any television dramas or movies?

I am more focused on anchoring and my entire day goes by either working in the hospital or the television stations. However, I did work for a television drama last Eid and hopefully my audience will see me in a drama for Valentine's Day 2019. I feel that I cannot act that well. Plus I have already so much on my plate that choosing acting as a profession would be the last thing I would want to do right now.

Do you prefer live cricket shows or recorded television programs?

I am more comfortable doing live shows as they are more challenging. Usually people say the opposite, but I feel that this gives us the scope to grow. I am very hard working and I believe that if I am capable of doing anything interesting, then I should always go for it. Even if I do not have any experience in any new field of work, I always learn and train myself to do better.

How did you train yourself as a sport presenter?

It was hard at the beginning, because to be a host in a cricket show I needed to have the knowledge of the sport. The show is usually a discussion of the game with sports analysts and former players. So I needed to read journals, watch shows and gather in-depth knowledge about cricket. Eventually all this studying paid off and today I can confidently talk about the entire game and love doing live shows.

Finally, as you host cricket shows our readers must know which team you support and who is your favorite player?

I undoubtedly support and love the Bangladesh Cricket Team and when it comes to the players, I am a big fan of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and then Shakib Al Hasan.

Thank you so much. It was wonderful talking with you.

Thank you too! It was great having this conversation.