The national policy is not an order but a better guideline, says the minister
The government has no chance to control the media under the recently approved broadcast policy, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu has said.
The minister made the statement while briefing media about the national broadcast policy at the secretariat on Monday afternoon.
He said the broadcast policy is a democratic wish of the government and is a guideline only.
The minister terms the censorship as a major point in the broadcast policy as everyone should follow the censorship policy.
He said: “One cannot say the 1971 liberation war was a war between India and Pakistan, so it is important to enact a system to publish or broadcast information which is parallel with our spirit of the liberation war.”
Terming the broadcasting policy pro journalist, he said: “There is a charter of duties, every media house should follow the charter as journalists have the right to express themselves while working and have a right to media policy and no extravagant pressure is tolerable.”
While talking on enactment of law, the minister said: “We will follow previous laws to enact the policy before new endorsement.”
“The broadcast policy was followed in line with the provisions of the constitution guaranteeing the freedom of speech and almost everybody concerned about the matter was consulted,” the minister added.
To make it into law it will have to be passed by parliament and then the national broadcast commission will be formed.
“The issue never came up to me, so the question of admission does not arise,” the minister firmly said. “I have repeatedly said that a half-truth is worse than a lie and I condemn it in the strongest possible term,” the minister said.
While answering questions the minister said Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali’s remark about journalists is his personal opinion.
The national policy is not an order but a better guideline, Inu also said.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
