While distributing cheques of financial assistance among sick, insolvent and injured journalists, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the journalist community not to publish any such news or criticise in such a way so that the country’s advancement and image are hampered.
The expansion and freedom of mass media are necessary in multidimensional development of the state, democracy and society, and at the same time, ethics in journalism is vital to this end too.
Otherwise, the fourth pillar of the state as well as the state itself will be affected, while the aim of media will be successful if there is ethics in journalism apart from its expansion.
Mass media rapidly flourished in Bangladesh during the time of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. For the first time, she gave approval to private television channels in the country.
It is known to all that media is the mirror of a society. Media plays an important role in driving a society into a right path and building a state. Therefore, the media personnel will have to work together with the government to stop propaganda in social media.
We hope that journalists would
be protected from harassment
and violence during the
upcoming polls in Bangladesh
The media will definitely criticise the government and enjoy the freedom, but that should be done with due responsibilities and dutifulness. Journalists will definitely enjoy freedom but they have to show responsibilities and dutifulness.
The journalist community did not enjoy such freedom that they enjoyed in the last 14 years and six months of the Awami League government. After coming to the government in 1996, there was only one television channel, BTV and now her government has given licences to numerous TV channels and newspapers on the private sectors mainly to create employments.
We hope that journalists would be protected from harassment and violence during the upcoming polls in Bangladesh. A free press is a key ingredient in a legitimate, free democracy. We all have an obligation to protect the free press and to allow journalists to seek and report the truth without fear, harassment, or censorship. Journalism is regarded as a noble profession but increasingly, around the world, it was becoming a difficult and dangerous one. Journalists should be responsible while publishing news and aware of the news whether it is positive or negative for the public.
Journalism plays remarkable role for overall development of the country. So, the information should be checked, re-checked and cross-checked after collecting it from the primary sources for the sake of publishing authentic news.
