Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Saturday said the media is enjoying optimum freedom during the interim government in Bangladesh as it believes in full freedom of journalism.
“We have not resisted anyone to write against the government…in the history of Bangladesh, the press did not enjoy such freedom (in the past),” he said while speaking at a discussion.
MASTUL Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation, arranged the discussion titled “the Role of Media in Building New Bangladesh” at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
Speaking as the chief guest, Alam said they want such a Bangladesh where no journalist is injured in covering news.
Apart from liability of the government and security agencies, he said the media owners also could not avoid the responsibility for casualties of journalists in gathering news since they do not provide safety equipment for their newsmen.
The photographers and video journalists cover hostile environment or events really putting their lives at risk, he said.
The ousted fascist government did everything to stop the mouth of journalists to sustain its power, the press secretary said, accusing that a number of journalists even worked as the brokers of the ousted government.
He said the works of the interim government is to bring back the full freedom of speech and press, claiming that it will not stop an inch freedom of any one.
Alam said the government did not intervene in any media owners and asked them not to sack anyone for reporting or withdraw any news item.
Referring to the cases filed recently against the journalists, the press secretary said the government did not lodge any single case to this end.
He also said press accreditation cards were provided for over 5,000 and of them, only 169 cards were revoked, adding, but the government is reviewing it.
About some section’s view that the old era has returned, he said after being engaged in brokering for whole life, many people do not know what the freedom is!
“There is no ‘freedom’ in their DNA. It has been erased,” he added.
Alam said the government believes in optimum freedom of journalism, while Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus invited editors and during the meeting, he asked them to write about the mistakes of the interim government.
“In the last four months, we did not ask anyone not to write against us…you are free to write,” he added.
The press secretary said the media help the government see everything in broader lens.
He urged journalists to practice such journalism which informs people, helps Bangladesh forward towards building a prosperous society and does not cause harm to anyone.
“We want such journalism. We have been working to this end. From our end, we have formed the media commission,” he said.
Alam said the government wants to institutionalise journalism in Bangladesh so that media owners cannot stop the freedom of journalists.
He said a new wage board for journalists is not being announced for many years and nobody is talking about it.
Many journalists are entering their profession with salary of Taka 5000 to Taka 10,000 which is below the salary of a garment worker, the press secretary said, asking media owners not to open media outlets if they are not able to pay enough salary for their journalists.
He also urged the journalists’ union leaders to work in the interest of newsmen.
