2024-05-06 00:15:44
The member of BNP standing committee mentioned that freedom of media should be established to protect the democracy of Bangladesh. Abdul Moin Khan.
He said, Bangladesh was created on the ideals of democracy. And the main charm to protect democracy is free media. If we want to protect that democracy today, we will establish the independence of media in Bangladesh. This is our pledge on World Free Press Day.
He said this at a discussion meeting on the occasion of World Free Media Day organized by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Journalists Union DUJ at the Press Club on Sunday (May 5).
Moin Khan said, ‘Today people have to struggle for freedom of Bangladesh, freedom of media and right to speak. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the freedom of the media. Because ordinary people do not prevent the freedom of the press, another person does not prevent people from speaking, the government does.
He said, mass media is the fourth pillar of the state. But it has been discussed in the world that the media is not the fourth pillar of the state, but the first pillar. Media is more powerful than the power of a state. Because no matter how big and powerful the government is, the media can break a state by exposing wrongdoing, or build a new one. The more the government of today realizes this fact, the better it will be for them.
He also said, ‘Ziaur Rahman laid the foundation stone of the infrastructure of the National Press Club. He was the founder of freedom of press. Today Awami League addresses him as Sainik. If a soldier can ensure the freedom of the press, then why does the Awami League prevent the freedom of the media?’
Moin Khan said, “The current government claims to be a pro-independence force, the motto of that independence war was democracy.” If there is no democracy in the country, one-party rule is established, there is no opportunity to develop free thought, if 18 crore people are forced to follow the same line according to the thoughts and ideas of Awami League, there is no freedom of media.’
Under the chairmanship of BFUJ President Ruhul Amin Ghazi, BFUJ Secretary General and Bangladesh Sammilit Peshajebi Parishad Member Secretary Quader Gani Chowdhury, DUJ President Shahidul Islam, Vice President Rashedul Haque, General Secretary Khurshid Alam, BFUJ Joint Secretary General Bachir Jamal, Organizing Secretary Said Khan, DUJ Office Secretary Iqbal Majumdar Tauhid and others.
President Rahul Amin Ghazi said, “In the last 15 years, 60 journalists have been killed, Sagar Rooney’s murder has not been tried even today. More than five hundred newspapers have been closed. Journalists are brutally tortured when MPs, ministers or the government publish reports on the corruption of party people. Many have been forced to leave the country with their families.’
He said, to protect the democracy and freedom of the country, the freedom of the media must be ensured first.
Quader Gani Chowdhury said, ‘journalists have to work today in a terrible situation in the media of Bangladesh. Even after 53 years of independence, media has been suppressed. The government is using the media as a tool. Their advertisements are being stopped if irregularities and corruption are revealed. Is this media freedom? If we cannot build a fascism-free Bangladesh, is there no freedom of the media?’
He said that the advertisement market in Bangladesh is more than 1200 crore rupees. But this ad is now going on Indian TV channels and YouTube channels. Earlier people used to read newspaper with a cup of tea in their hand in the morning, but now they are diverted due to lack of real news.