DHAKA, Oct 4, 2023 (BSS) - Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today hoped that 'The Daily People's Life' newspaper would talk about the masses and will be a reflection of people's regular life.
 
She said this while addressing the inaugural function of the daily as the chief guest at Dhaka Club in city's Shahbagh area this evening.
 
Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud joined the function and inaugurated the daily newspaper.
 
Shirin said there is a demand of English newspapers in the country, but the number of English daily is poor. Bangladesh is now passing such a period when the country is connected to all across the globe, she added.
 
She said there are many foreigners along with foreign diplomats in the country and they are interested about the progress of Bangladesh and its people as well.
 
The JS Speaker said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working to build a smart Bangladesh by 2041. For this, reporters should take initiative to publish news smartly of every region to their respective media, she said, adding that smart journalism is needed for smart Bangladesh.
 
Shirin said democracy and mass media are interrelated. Mass media could play a pivotal role in keeping democracy on the right track.
 
She hoped that the new daily would play a role in the country's development through publishing proper news.
 
She wished for the overall success of the daily.
 
Emphasising responsibility along with the freedom of mass media, Dr Hasan Mahmud said the freedom of press and the expansion of media in Bangladesh are examples for other developing countries. "We believe in free media, we believe in media freedom. The mass media hasn't expanded in many neighboring countries and doesn't enjoy such unfettered freedom," he added.
 
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has emphasized on the expansion and freedom of the media to develop democracy and a multidimensional social system, and establish a justice and debate-based social system.
 
Highlighting the government's initiatives taken for the country's mass media sector, he said, "A total of 39 Television channels, including the state-run TV, came in broadcast in the last 14 years and some more channels will come to broadcast soon".
 
The journey of private TV and radio was started with the hands of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister said, adding, "When we formed the government in 2009, there were 450 daily newspapers, which are now 1,260," he added.
 
Entire BBC team has to resign because of publishing a false report against an MP, he said, adding, "The 130-year-old newspaper 'News of the World' has gone bankrupt and was defunct after paying a several million pound as fine for publishing a false report. But such kind of incident has never been happened in our country. In Continental Europe, like in the UK, the media has to pay large amount of fines and get punished for publishing wrong or false news", Dr Hasan said.
 
The information minister hoped that The Daily People's Life would play a responsible role.
 
Nafisa Jumyina Mahmud is the publisher of The Daily People's Life which is being published as the concern of Next Publications Limited.

 Lawmaker Saimum Sarwar Komol, senior journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, politician Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, Dhaka University pro-vice chancellor Dr Maksud Kamal, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, Press Institute Bangladesh director general Zafar Wazed, Principal Information Officer Md Shahenur Mia,

Department of Films and Publication director general SM Golam Kibria, Awami League relief secretary Aminul Islam Amin, DU Professor Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Mursalin Nomani and chairman of editorial board of the daily Hasan Rahman, among others, addressed the inaugural function with its editor Azizul Islam Bhuiyan in the chair.
 
Later, the information minister along with the chief guest, Dr Hasan's wife Nuran Fathema and other guests cut a cake and inaugurated the newspaper.