Media Reforms Commission Chief noted journalist Kamal Ahmed today spoke at divisional-level views exchange meeting in Rangpur : Photo : BSS

RANGPUR, Jan 19, 2025 (BSS) - Media Reforms Commission (MRC) Chief noted journalist Kamal Ahmed today said honest and objective journalism is not possible without financial security of journalists. So, financial security of journalists must be ensured.
 
“Journalists across the country are asking why media outlets that do not pay their employees' salaries and allowances will not be shut down. Owners of those media outlets are earning by increasing their advertisement rates, but do not pay,” he said.
 
The MRC Chief made the observation while addressing a divisional-level views exchange meeting of the commission at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner in the city as the chief guest.
 
Media Reforms Commission members Professor Dr Gitiara Nasreen, Shamsul Haque Zahid, Begum Kamrunnessa Hassan, Mostafa Shabuj and Abdullah Al Mamun were present at the event.
 
Local editors and journalists working in the print, electronic and online media from all eight districts under Rangpur division attended the meeting and forwarded suggestions for bringing reforms to media that could help rebuilding a new Bangladesh.
 
The event was arranged to extract the views and proposals of field level working journalists for incorporating their viewpoints in the upcoming MRC report to be submitted to the interim government likely by mid February next.
 
The participating journalists suggested strengthening the Press Council, providing appropriate training to field level working journalists and setting at least a minimum academic qualification for journalists to streamline the media.
 
They said that there is a huge gap in the facilities of journalists working in the capital and journalists in the rural areas and demanded for ensuring equality of opportunities for all journalists across the country.
 
The MRC Chief said, during the last 15 years of misrule, the mainstream mass media was used by corporate houses applying their political influence and fascist tendency of the government and using bureaucracy in favour of their owners leaving the public interest.
 
On the other hand, the vested quarters used journalists by abusing political power, black money and taking the advantage of lack of unity and division among journalists. It is not so easy to break down the vicious cycle that has grown up.
 
“We will submit our recommendations on the proposals of journalists to the interim government. Although the interim government will have a little time, but the recommendations will remain as reference for the future,” he said.
 
Kamal Ahmed said, “We should not think the work of the Media Reforms Commission is a small one,” he said.
 
He said there should be a minimum wage for journalists, otherwise journalism will be compromised and there will be no honest and objective journalism.