Prime Minister Sheikh on Sunday asked the Information Ministry to complete formulation of a broadcasting policy soon after consultations with the stakeholders, which the country needs for the electronic media as elsewhere in the world.
“The government has already prepared a draft policy,” she said in her introductory speech to the high officials of Information Ministry and its affiliated bodies at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government believes in full freedom of the mass media, but “such freedom does not mean publishing or saying anything according to the will of individuals in the mass media.”
She said the media should enjoy the freedom through exercising objectivity, constructiveness and thoughtfulness, and it is the duty of the Information Ministry to monitor this.
The Prime Minister suggested preparing the broadcasting contents suitable to the children and elderly people as well as programmes which could be enjoyed by all the family members together.
She said the main objective of the government is to reach the fruits of the independence to the doorsteps of the common people and continued democratic rule can help fulfill the expectations of the people. “The Information Ministry can play an important role in this regard.”
Hasina directed the Information Ministry to be equipped with modern technology so that accurate and latest information on the country’s development and advancement could be reached to all at home and abroad.
Referring to the rapid change in information and communications technology, she said the government and private media should go ahead in keeping with the pace of change.
Mentioning the necessity of Bangladesh Betar, the Prime Minister said this state-owned organization is playing vital role in reaching the news and information of development and other informative programmes to the people, especially the rural people.
She suggested that all the directorates under the Information Ministry including Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television should attain technological capability, ensure the flourishing of talent and creativity, and give emphasis on training.
Terming the war of liberation as the main source of the national spirit, Hasina asked the Information Ministry o prepare broadcast contents in light of the four main basic principles of the constitution and take all out efforts to inspire the new generation with the spirit of liberation war.
In this regard, she underscored the need for making more films and programmes projecting the great achievements of the liberation war.
The Prime Minister said that her government has ensured free flow of information through enacting the Right to Information Act. Under this law, any person, even the one living in the remote village, could get necessary information.
Besides, transparency and accountability — the prerequisite of good governance — have been ensured, she added.
Hasina mentioned that after assuming the office in 1996, her government allowed first private television channel in the country, ensured freedom of mass media and restored the environment of constructive criticism.
In continuation of that policy, she said the present government in its immediate past term gave permission to 31 private TV Channels, separate TV Channel for telecasting the proceedings of Parliament, and also allowed 12 FM and 32 community Radios.
With the opening of so many private channels, opportunities of jobs for the journalists, cameramen and technicians have been created, she added.
The Prime Minister also listed other steps of her government including introduction of journalists’ assistance allowance from 2011, announcement of ‘the newspaper’ and ‘film making’ as industry, and declaration of the eighth wage board for the journalists.
But, she regretted that “some people want to ignore the principle of democracy and journalism, don’t want to abide by the constitution, and instead cooperate with militancy and terrorism, and confuse the readers and viewers through sugarcoated presentation of false information.”
Mentioning ‘Digital Bangladesh’ as the reality now, Hasina said it ensured free flow of information, created opportunities to introduce online media, and increase the gradual use of social websites. But, she said social awareness should be strengthened to curb the misuse of the social websites.
She also said that the government broadcasting institutions should attain capability to survive competing with the private sector. The media contents should be prepared with specific target; there should be the arrangement of fulltime research to bring fresh technique in presentation.
Terming ‘responsible free mass media’ as the indispensible organ of democratic system, the Prime Minister said the Information Ministry has started its journey as an important Ministry under the government of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman soon after the independence.
“But, after the heinous and tragic incident of the history in 1975, the mass media came under state censorship that helped prolong the tenure of the illegal and unconstitutional government.”
The vested quarters, she said, started to distort the history and began conspiracy of destroying non-communal spirit of the Bengali nation and war of liberation.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu and Information Secretary Murtoza Ahmed, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Source: UNBConnect
