Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the government is formulating rules to take punishment against service providers for spreading misleading information. “Like developed countries, we are formulating rules on spreading misleading information through social media,” he told at a roundtable at Chattogram circuit house conference hall marking the World Television Day.
BTV, Chattogram centre, Chattogram Television Journalists Association and TV Camera Journalists Association jointly organised the roundtable. City Mayor AJM Nasiruddin, Divisional Commissioner, Chattogram Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Deputy Director General (news) of BTV Anup Kumar Kashtogir, Vice President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist Reaj Haider Chowdhury, General Secretary of Chattogram Press Club Chowdhury Farid, Bureau Chief of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Kalim Sarwar, Editor of Ekushey Patrika Azad Talukdar, President of TV Camera Journalisms Association Shafique Ahmed Sajib and General Secretary of Chattogram TV journalist Association (CTJA) Latia Ansari Runa, among others, addressed the roundtable.
General Manager of BTV Chattogram centre Nitai Kumar Bhattacharya presided over the roundtable. Spreading false and fabricated information using social media as the biggest problem in the worldwide, the information minister said, “We have already formulated broadcasting policy. We will enact broadcasting law. This law will give legal protection to journalists of electronic media.”
He said, “Chattogram centre of BTV will telecast 12 hours in a day from next month. At present, BTV is being broadcasted as cable TV in Chattogram.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave approval of broadcasting Private TV Channel for the first time, Hasan said, “At present, there are 34 private channels in the country. Eleven more private TV channels will go broadcasting in the country.”
The information minister said nearly one lakh people are directly and indirectly involved in the television sector. Alongside cultural development, television sector has to contribute to nation building activities, he added.