Independent journalism is not developing because of vested interests.
Independent media and journalism are not developing in the country because the media is run by various vested interests. If this situation is not ended, its character will not change quickly. In this regard, along with the rights of journalists, facilities including wage boards and salary allowances must be ensured.
The media in Bangladesh has not spoken for the people for the last 15 years. The speakers made these remarks at a dialogue titled ‘Dialogue for Democratic Reconstruction: Media Issues’ at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital yesterday. It was organized by the Center for Governance Studies-CGS.
Kamal Ahmed, Chief of Media Reform Commission, said the commission is working to ensure freedom and rights of media at one side and accountability of media should be ensured. Recommendations would be made based on discussions with the stakeholders.
Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor Shafiqul Alam said that for the last 15 years, media had been under pressure. They could not speak for the people. We also have to self-criticize ourselves, stand in front of the mirror. Because the media could not highlight the incidents of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations.
Salaries of journalists: The system of wage boards should be dismantled. A minimum wage should be fixed. Wage board system is defective. No recruitment should be made below a basic salary. Anybody recruited beyond that salary structure, his or her organisation should be closed. Underground papers should be exposed. Because of them, journalists are getting low salaries. He said that the creators of original works are entitled to copyright protection.
Manabzamin’s Editor-in-Chief, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury told, we should reform the history, while speaking about reforms because the history was changing in every change of the government. Abu Sayeed Khan, advisory editor to Samakal told the uniqueness will be destroyed more in more interference by the government. The ICT Act introduced by the interim government should be abolished, he commented.
Jonayed Saki, Chief Coordinator of the Mass Solidarity Movement, said, “Without ensuring the rights and dignity of journalists, there will be no such journalists who can demand answers to corruption and injustices.”.
Senior journalist MA Aziz opined that democracy is imperative before the media can get independence. All the organizations related to newspapers should be united under one umbrella. Then a senior journalist may be given the responsibility of this one. Untransparent journalists should be brought to the book.
In the inaugural speech, CGS Executive Director Zillur Rahman said, it is needed to fix how the intelligence agencies including DGFI and NSI control the media and how to get out of it.
Other speakers included former State Minister for Information Professor Abu Sayyid, Professor of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University Dr. SM Shamim Reza, senior journalists Masud Kamal, Parveen F Chowdhury, Jayma Islam, founder of Digital Right BD Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, AFP fact checker Kaderuddin Shishir, and citizen committee member Tuhin Khan, under the chairmanship of CGS Chairperson Munira Khan.
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