The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday urged journalists to maintain neutrality in their professional work and to raise voice against militancy, violence and abusing drug.
‘I want a neutral role from you. Nothing more,’ Hasina said at an iftar party hosted by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction and Dhaka Union of Journalists faction at Jatiya Press Club.
She appreciated constructive criticism from journalists saying that sometimes criticism helped government to identify mistake. She urged the journalist community to prevent any move to undermine the country.
The prime minister, however, urged the journalist to keep in mind that ‘the independence of the country was achieved under the leadership of Sheikh Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman.’
Responding to the demand for a new wage board for journalists, the prime minister said that she would look into the matter positively.
Hasina urged the journalists including owners of the media establishment to contribute to the Journalist Welfare Trust Fund as seed money.
She said, ‘I have set up the Journalist Kalyan Fund. It has not been demanded by them. Though Awami League always thinks about the journalist community, they always criticise us.’
The premier said that the government amended the law to help journalists avoid arrest in defamation cases.
About the broadcast and online policy, she said that her government’s intention was not to control the media rather they wanted all the media to run under specific rules. ‘We want the media to be strengthened. I want the media outlets play neutral role. A guideline is necessary while doing anything.’
Hasina assured the journalist community of providing any sort of assistance in modernising the Press Club and constructing a multi-storied building.
With BFUJ faction president Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul in the chair, the function was addressed by prime minister’s media advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, BFUJ faction secretary general Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, DUJ faction president Altaf Mahmud, Jatiya Press Club president Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman and general secretary Qamrul Islam Chowdhury. DUJ faction general secretary Quddus Afrad conducted the function.
Source: New Age