UN-led probe sought into 15 years of Journalism in Bangladesh: Press Secretary

A United Nations-led investigation is being pursued to assess the independence and accountability of journalism in Bangladesh over the past 15 years, said Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser.

He made the remarks at a media reform review meeting organized by the Broadcast Journalist Center (BJC) at The Daily Star Bhaban on Saturday (July 5).

Highlighting significant lapses in media coverage during key national events—including three controversial elections, enforced disappearances, and political crackdowns—Alam questioned the credibility and responsibility of journalism during this period. "We are drafting a letter to the UN requesting an impartial international probe into the state of journalism over the last 15 years," he said.

He stressed that restoring public trust in the media requires transparency and accountability. "A journalist may have a political ideology, but their primary duty is to present facts. Spreading misinformation is unacceptable," he added.

Alam noted that under previous governments, journalism was heavily influenced by state control. The current interim government, he claimed, is working to build an independent media environment—repealing the Digital Security Act and enacting new laws to protect press freedom and prevent institutional intimidation of journalists.

He also proposed setting a minimum monthly salary of Tk 30,000 for electronic media journalists and called for the formation of a separate commission for broadcast media.

Other proposals at the meeting included minimum educational qualifications for journalists and a structured pay scale to professionalize the industry.