DHAKA, May 3, 2023 (BSS) – Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today 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 said at a discussion in the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) here as the chief guest.

The JPC organized the discussion titled ‘Role of Mass Media in Protecting Human Rights and Expanding Democracy’, marking the World Press Freedom Day with its President Farida Yasmin in the chair. 

Dainik Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam, Dainik Samakal Editor Mozammel Hossain, senior journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and JPC Joint Secretary Md Ayub Bhuiyan also spoke at the event.

Dr Hasan said if there is the responsibility with freedom, mass media can operate properly. But if the freedom is exercised avoiding responsibility, then in many cases the society as well as the state is harmed, he added.

The mass media is the fourth pillar of the state and democracy and the mass media are complement to each other, he said, adding: “Without freedom and transparency of media, democracy can never be operative and democratic social system cannot survive. Therefore, freedom of media and freedom of expression are definitely necessary to consolidate the democracy”.

Dr Hasan 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 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 10 TV channels and 450 daily newspapers, which are now 1,260. A total of 22 private FM radios were approved while 12 of them are on air. Several dozens of community radios were given approval while most of them are on air".
 
The number of online media is a matter of survey, he said, adding that more than 200 online media have already got while the total number, including newspapers and online of TVs, is much more.

Noting that thousands of journalists are now working in the mass media, the AL joint general secretary said renowned journalists would have not get the opportunity to express their 'talents' if the mass media has not expanded.

Such expansion of media hasn't taken place in other countries across the world and do not enjoy such unfettered freedom, he said, adding that except for a few, almost all televisions have been approved by the Awami League government.

But the government is criticized in talk show on all televisions every night, Dr Hasan said, adding, "Even when the news is released, the government never intervenes in this case. Because, we believe in free media, we believe in media freedom".

"We give the example of Singapore in every word. How Singapore transformed from a fishing village to a developed country. Singapore has a higher per capita income than almost all European Union countries.

 Singapore's four channels are state controlled, most of the newspapers are also state controlled," he said, adding that all television channel feeds in Thailand are uplinked from one place. 

If content is not desirable, it is turned off and served with advertisements or something else, the minister said, adding, "This thing doesn't happen in our country". 
Malaysian students used to come to study in Bangladesh until the 80s, "But now our children are going there", he said, adding, "How they got to this place is a wonder. There is no freedom of media, no expansion".

Referring to the European countries, Dr Hasan said, "We try to follow the UK in many aspects of democracy. Every week, the media has to pay huge fines for publishing wrong or false news or violating someone's privacy".

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".

Noting that the domination of capital in the newspapers is now a problem in the country, Dr Hasan said, "When capital is invested in the media, domination of this capital badly affects journalists and emerges as hindrance for their work".

"We always talk about what kind of obstacles is created by the government; but I think the big obstacle to work in a healthy, free and fearless environment is the domination of the owner's capital. A few journalist leaders have asked why there will be no representation of journalists in the board of directors of news media like banks and there will be no independent director," he added.

Speaking about the Digital Security Act (DSA), the minister said, "I have always said and I will say it today too, this law has been enacted to provide digital security to all people, including a journalist, a housewife, a job holder, a farmer, in every field. Many journalists have also filed case under this Act for digital security against ill journalism".
 
A few days ago, a woman journalist filed a case against another journalist under this law, seeking remedy for defaming her character, Dr Hasan added.

Journalists today also said that this act has the necessity and almost all countries across the world have formulated this law, the AL joint general secretary said, adding, "This law in many countries is rigorous than ours. Except for a few states in the USA, there is no death penalty. But the highest punishment for digital crimes there is life imprisonment".

"The population of the UK is one third of ours. Dozens of people are arrested there every month. Such arrest is not made in our country. If someone is arrested, it is made headlines of newspapers," he said. 

"The misuse of the DSA must be stopped. Filing case whimsically and arresting immediately should be stopped. I agree about it," Dr Hasan said, adding that it is not appropriate to exclude a group from the purview of a law. 

"But we need to ensure that no law will be misused or abused. Misuse has reduced compared to previous time, it is necessary to bring the misappropriation to zero level," he said.