People feel relief after Awami League’s ban: Shafiqul Alam

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, stated that the people of Bangladesh are breathing a sigh of relief following the ban on Awami League’s activities.

He said, "The United Nations report mentions 1,400 deaths, but we believe the actual number is higher. However, there has been no remorse from the Awami League. During their time in power, they labeled anyone a terrorist. Now that they’ve been banned, the people of Bangladesh are feeling a sense of relief."

He made these comments while speaking at a "Meet the Press" event organized by the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Monday.

The event was attended by Dhaka Reporters Unity President Abu Saleh Akon, General Secretary Mainul Hossain Sohel, and other executive committee members.

Shafiqul Alam further explained, "The ban on Awami League has been widely accepted. While there may be some differing opinions, they are not significant."

Regarding journalists' rights and benefits, Shafiqul Alam emphasized that unions should take the initiative to advocate for the welfare of journalists. "Unions need to engage with media owners to ensure journalists are well-supported. Unfortunately, over the past 15 years, unions have been more focused on securing plots in Purbachal, leaving journalists exploited. The DFP should raise its voice against such practices. There are underground newspapers stealing content from others and publishing it—this cannot be considered ethical journalism," he stated.

He also mentioned, "Journalists' salaries should never be below 30,000 taka. If media outlets cannot afford to meet this standard, they should close down."

Shafiqul Alam answered various questions posed by journalists during the "Meet the Press" event.