DHAKA, April 15, 2023 (BSS) - State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury today said it has been possible to recover the river banks from illegal occupiers due to the mass media support. 

"Without the media support, we could not deal with those powerful cliques," he said and thanked the media authorities. 

The state minister was speaking as the chief guest at the Iftar Mahfil hosted by BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) with BFUJ President Omar Faruque in the chair, said a press release.

Noting that the nation took oath in 1971 to build 'Sonar Bangla', Khalid said, "We have already achieved the goal. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has outlined a plan to build developed and smart Bangladesh. We hope that goal will be materialized before 2041".
 
Mass media is one of the important four pillars of the state, he said, adding, "We are always with the mass media. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is journalist friendly. She always inquires about wellbeing of journalists".

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, JPC President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Shyamal Dutta, BFUJ former presidents Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Molla Jalal, BFUJ Secretary General Dip Azad and DUJ President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and General Secretary Akhter Hossain were present at the function, among others.