Kader Gani Chowdhury--. File Photo

GAZIPUR, March 20, 2025 (BSS) – Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Secretary General and Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad (BSPP) Member Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury today said that the responsibility of a journalist is to portray the real picture of the society.

“Every day, two suns rise- one is the morning sun (on the sky) and the other is the news. We see the materialistic world in the light of the sun. But the media shows us the real picture of the world,” he said.

The BFUJ secretary general made the remarks at an Iftar mahfil hosted by Journalists’ Union of Gazipur (JUG) at Gazipur Zila Parishad Auditorium here.

Gani said the media is called the mirror of the society while journalists are regarded as the watchdogs of the society.
 
Noting that a journalist has to always be vocal against injustice, irregularities, oppression, exploitation and deprivation of rights, he said a journalist always has to work fearlessly and relentlessly ignoring the threats.

JUG President Delwar Hossain presided over the programme while BFUJ acting President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, BSPP Gazipur district unit President Professor Nazrul Islam, Jatiyatabadi Lawyers’ Forum President Advocate Shahiduzzaman, Gazipur district BNP President Shawkat Hossain Sarker, Gazipur Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Professor Jamal Uddin, Gazipur Superintendent of Police Dr Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek and BFUJ leader Abu Hanif spoke, among others.

JUG General Secretary Mohammad Hedayet Ullah conducted the event.

Gani said the journalists should be courageous. But due to lack of support from the state, he said, the courageous journalism and investigative journalism are going to disappear.

“Journalists are killed, harassed and intimidated over silly matter. There are constant repressions to silence journalists and disrupt their work,” he said, adding, oppression from police, threats from political leaders, oppression from corrupt bureaucrats and attacks from influential businessmen - journalists have to endure all these and move and go forward.

Apart from these, the BFUJ secretary general said, there are oppressive laws against them.

When journalists resort to self-censorship to avoid various types of harassment, it meant the media is no longer independent, he said, adding, in most cases, journalists resort to self-censorship due to pressure from influential circles.

Many times, they avoid reporting on issues of those people who have contact with high-ranking officials in the media outlets for fear of losing their jobs, Gani said, adding, in this way objective journalism is dying day by day.

He, however, said those, who do the objective journalism, cannot expect anything in return. But this trend increased during the previous government, he added.

“Journalists’ consciences were bought by giving them plots, flats, cash money and various other privileges. As a result, those journalists abandoned the true journalism and moved towards power-oriented journalism,” the BFUJ leader said.

The news of transactions money worth thousands of crores of taka in the accounts of some journalists has shocked the nation, Gani said, adding, some journalists abandoned proper journalism and became party slaves. “As a result, journalism has incurred a great loss,” he said.

A journalist should present accurate and impartial news, not for any party or anyone's interests, Gani said, adding, journalists should exercise objective journalism going beyond party opinion.