DHAKA, Dec 19, 2024 (BSS) - Leaders of various journalist organizations have assured the media reform commission of providing full support in their activities.

They made the assurance in a views-exchange meeting with the Media Reform Commission at the commission's office at Tathya Bhaban in the capital.

Media Reform Commission Chief Kamal Ahmed, members-Professor Gitiara Nasreen, Shamsul Haque Zahid, Akhtar Hossain Khan, Begum Kamrunnesa Hasan, Syed Abdal Ahmed, Jimmy Amir, Mostafa Sabuj, Titu Dutta Gupta and Abdullah Al Mamun were present.

Among the journalists’ leaders, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Acting President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, its Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Shahidul Islam and its General Secretary Khurshid Alam, Dhaka Sub Editors Council President Muktadir Anik and its General Secretary Jawahar Iqbal Khan, Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra General Secretary Shahnaj Siddiqui Soma, Bangladesh Women Journalists Forum President Rosy Ferdousi, Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association President Indrajit Kumar Ghosh spoke in the meeting.

Quader Gani Chowdhury said that during the 15 years of the previous government, many people were disappeared and raped, but media didn’t publish or broadcast these news.  At that period, the media didn’t work for the people rather became institution of some parties.

He called upon the interim government to take initiatives so that any government cannot control media.

Mentioning irregularities of media, Kader Gani said some newspapers do not print even 2,000 copies, but 100,000-200,000 circulations are shown for advertising bills. Such practice should be stopped, he said.

He called for taking initiatives for stopping intervention and tapping phone calls by some agencies to ensure freedom of expression of journalists.

Shahidul Islam said that the media was responsible for turning the fascist government into a monster. It is necessary to clarify whether some media outlets have played this role, he added.

Khurshid Alam said many newspapers are being published without any infrastructure, yet they are taking more advertising bills by showing much circulation. He underscored the need for strengthening Press Council by making reforms.

The journalist leaders also placed proposals and opinions including fixing minimum educational qualification to be journalist, removing discrimination against women journalists, removing irregularities in the recruitment of photo journalists, introducing risk allowance for photo journalists, making trade union mandatory for media houses and reforming Press Council, DFP, PID and PIB.