The Daily Star
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon today said the government wants to form an advisory committee with the aim of creating an acceptable media commission.
The minister made the remark at a programme jointly organised by the Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) at CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka, in observance of World Press Freedom Day 2026.
“If you agree, we want to form an advisory committee from the information ministry,” he said.
The minister said the committee would be formed based on the views of media stakeholders. “We want to form an advisory committee based on your opinions. It may take time, but it must be acceptable to all. From that, an acceptable media commission will emerge,” he added.
He said the media commission, once formed, would create an authority to oversee the sector.
The minister said the commission would also examine how the digital sphere could be brought under its scope and what further steps could be taken in that regard.
Swapon said the government would certainly keep a media commission in mind. “In the media sector, the government is always a party. The government can also be an offender. We have seen in the past that the government itself became an offender,” he added.
The minister said in such a situation, a media commission or a similar institution was necessary.
The minister also spoke about challenges posed by digital platforms, saying the problem was different in nature.
He said tech giants still have major control over digital platforms, while institutions such as the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission can, at best, block content. “But taking this to a constructive and solution-oriented place ultimately depends on the tech giants,” he said.
He said many discussions on media-related problems still remained stuck in the pre-internet era, while proactive discussion on digital hazards was largely absent. The minister suggested a collective study on the issue before taking further decisions.
Editors’ Council President and Editor of New Age, Nurul Kabir; NOAB President and Editor-in-Chief of Manab Zamin, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury; The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam; Jatiya Press Club President and Editor of Kaler Kantho, Hasan Hafiz; and Prothom Alo Executive Editor, Sajjad Sharif, also spoke at the programme.
The event was conducted by Editors’ Council General Secretary and Editor of Bonik Barta Dewan Hanif Mahmud.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/governance/news/govt-wants-advisory-committee-form-acceptable-media-commission-info-minister-4166696
