Dhaka //

Information and Broadcasting Advisor Md. Mahfuz Alam has urged the media not to create consent for fascism. He made this call at a seminar titled ‘Murder and Oppression of Journalists during Fascist Regime’ organized by the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day at the Information Building on Monday.

Criticizing the 15-year rule of the previous fascist government, he said that the Awami League government has used the media to create consent for various crimes including disappearances, kidnappings, extrajudicial killings, and rape. The Awami League government has created the media for these nefarious purposes. The approval process of the media outlets that were given licenses during the previous government will be investigated.

Regarding the three recently dismissed journalists, the advisor said that the government does not want any journalist to be dismissed without notice. If a journalist commits a crime, he should be dismissed according to the procedure. The government does not support the dismissal of journalists without notice.

Mahfuz Alam said that some media outlets are calling the ‘July Uprising’ a movement. In addition, the current government is being called the government after the change of government. This is unfortunate. The government has not said anything to any media outlet in this regard. We think the people will evaluate the matter.

Regarding the freedom of the media, he said, ‘We do not want any media outlet to write in favor of the government. Question the government. If you question the government, the government will play a more responsible role.’

The advisor said that the number of people killed in Bangladesh from July 19 to August 5 last year, this number of people have not been killed in Palestine in such a short period of time. No other killings are comparable to the July-August killings.

Regarding the misrule of the fallen government, he said that the media was the instrument for generating consent for the misrule of the Awami League government. As a result of the politicization of the media, journalists are being deprived of their rights. Journalists should understand this.

The advisor said that the government will support the families of journalists who have been murdered and injured while performing their professional duties.

Participating in the discussion, Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the daily Amar Desh, said that Bangladesh has slipped 44 places in the World Press Freedom Index in the last 15 years. This shows the image of the media during the Awami League regime. Highlighting the image of journalist torture during the previous government, he said that she was attacked on the orders of Sheikh Hasina. No other regime can be compared with the regime of the fascist Sheikh Hasina. There should be no doubt about this.

He also said that fascism and independent media cannot coexist. He demanded speedy trial of those involved in fascism.

In his speech as a special guest, Kamal Ahmed, head of the Media Reform Commission, said that the families of journalists who have been murdered and tortured should be compensated by the government.

He also said that media freedom is not possible without financial security for journalists. He emphasized on establishing a sustainable business model for the media.

At the seminar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Mahbuba Farzana said that journalists were divided during the 15-year rule of the previous Awami League government. The previous government oppressed journalists to bring them into obedience to the government.

Regarding media reform, she said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is working on how to implement media reform programs. She assured that the ministry will stand by the journalists.

The main article at the seminar was presented by Muhammad Abdullah, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust. In the main article, he presented the picture of the murder and oppression of journalists during the 15-year fascist rule of the Awami League government. She said that 61 journalists have been killed during the last 15 years of the Awami League government. In addition, 3,588 journalists have been subjected to oppression.

Shafiq Rehman, editor of Daily Zayzaydin, Abul Asad, editor of Daily Sangram, Obaidur Rahman Shaheen, acting president of BFUJ, Khairul Bashar, vice-president of BFUJ, Sajjad Sharif, executive editor of Daily Prothom Alo, Masumur Rahman Khalili, editor of Top News Ekramul Haque, and Shaheen Hasnat, member of Journalist Welfare Trust, also spoke at the seminar.

Monira Begum, wife of deceased journalist Golam Rabbani Nadim, Farhana Islam Bobby, wife of journalist Hasan Mehedi, martyred in the July Uprising, Shamsi Ara Zaman, mother of martyred journalist Tahir Zaman Priyor, journalist Aktaruzzaman, victim of torture, and journalist Rashedul Islam, reminisced about the killing and persecution of journalists at the seminar. Officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, family members of journalists who were victims of murder and persecution, and journalists from print and electronic media were present at the seminar.

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