Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, announced that accreditation cards for journalists will be issued soon under a reformed and transparent process.
Speaking at an event at the National Press Club on Thursday, he emphasized that only genuine working journalists will be eligible, aiming to prevent misuse of the system.
Previously, 167 cards were revoked—a move Shafiqul admitted was a mistake. A new accreditation committee has since been formed, with a simplified, journalist-friendly policy in place.
Provisions requiring government permission for foreign travel or obliging cardholders to praise the government have been removed.
Shafiqul pointed out that the former system was often exploited by political affiliates, including ex-MPs and party leaders, who used journalist credentials to access the Secretariat for lobbying.
"We are moving away from that era to ensure transparency," he stated.
Addressing concerns raised in recent media reports, Shafiqul referenced data suggesting 266 murder cases have been filed against journalists.
He welcomed such investigations, while noting that although the government didn’t initiate the cases, it is often blamed.
He stressed that most of these cases were filed privately and that withdrawing them is legally difficult, but further investigations are ongoing.
He clarified that the caretaker government is not arresting journalists and that most are working without interference.
While some journalists have lost jobs, he said these decisions were made by media owners, not due to government pressure.
Highlighting the current media environment, he asserted that press freedom has significantly improved in the past nine months.
Shafiqul also called for social media guidelines for journalists, stressing that personal beliefs must not compromise professional responsibilities.
He urged the media to move past the legacy of the past 15 years and rebuild public trust through ethical journalism.
