Journalists who are afraid of mobs may have been allies of fascism: Press secretary

Regarding media freedom, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Shafiqul Alam, said that journalists who are now 'afraid of mobs' may have been 'allies of fascism'.

Shafiqul Alam made the remarks at a dialogue titled 'Freedom of the Media: A Matter of Political Commitment in Manifesto' at the CIRDAP Auditorium on Topkhana Road in the capital on Thursday. The dialogue was organized by the Center for Governance Studies (CGS) in collaboration with the Asia Foundation.

Commenting on the fact that the freedom of the media and journalists is protected during the current interim government, he said: "Many (journalists) say that they are afraid of mobs. I don't see that fear anywhere. The one who is afraid of mobs may have worked as an ally then. If you are an ally now, I will not clean up your sins. Most of those who say that they are afraid of mobs today will see that they were allys. The fear comes from within. We have said that we will not tolerate any kind of attack on any media. We have kept that promise."

He further said that in foreign countries, the media has developed a culture of apologizing to the public and acknowledging their mistakes. They appoint ombudsmen to see if their reports were correct or not. If there is a mistake, they admit it publicly and apologize. But there is no such culture here.

Shafiqul Alam said: "We are clearly saying that in the last 15 months, we have not interfered in any TV or newspaper or media. The interim government has not harassed any journalist by using DGFI or NSI forces."

Commenting that journalists have enjoyed true freedom only during the caretaker government in the last 54 years, he said, the major issue of the interim government in the last 15 months was to prevent fake news or misinformation. Hundreds of fake news have been spread about the occupation of St. Martin's. A lot of fake news is being spread on other issues as well. Journalism was pushed to the bottom during the Awami League period. "We have come out of that place."

In the dialogue, BNP Media Cell Convener Dr Mowdud Hossain Alamgir Pavel said: "Now a kind of panic is prevailing in the media houses. They do not just deliver news, they want to act like veto power. So that nothing can happen against their will. Journalists can have an organization, but it must be free from party influence."

Acting President of Gono Forum, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury said: "The interim government does not have much time. During this time, Dr. Yunus should implement the reforms that are in his hands. Call a press conference within a week and inform the nation about the overall issue."

Nazmul Haque Pradhan, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), said that there is freedom of the press only if there is a strong opposition party in the country. There was no freedom of the press during Sheikh Hasina's time because there was no strong opposition party.

Joint Member Secretary of Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) Mushfiqur Us Salehin said: "After August 5, the ownership and top positions of many media houses have changed. Party-backed people have gone there. Earlier, they used to promote the narrative of one party, now they are circulating the narrative of another party."

Rashed Khan, General Secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad, said that there has been no visible reform in the media. The system of Sheikh Hasina's era is still going on. In the meantime, two television licenses have been issued. It would have been better if the proposals of the Media Reform Commission had been implemented, but that has not happened.

M Abdullah, former president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said that if journalists want to do politics and elections, then they must resign from their journalist organizations.

CGS Executive Director Parvez Karim Abbasi delivered the opening speech at the programme moderated by CGS President Zillur Rahman. Other speakers included Dr. Saimum Parvez, Manjur Moin, Taslima Akhtar, Didar Bhuiyan, Rajequzzaman Ratan, Nasrin Sultana Mili, Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Faisal, and others.