'Bangladesh's press freedom an example for developing nations'

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has claimed that the freedom of press and the expansion of media in Bangladesh are examples for other developing countries.

“We believe in free media, we believe in media freedom. The mass media hasn’t expanded in many neighboring countries and doesn’t enjoy such unfettered freedom,” he added.

Hasan, also Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary, was addressing at a discussion in the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The JPC organized the discussion titled ‘Role of Mass Media in Protecting Human Rights and Expanding Democracy’, marking the World Press Freedom Day with its President Farida Yasmin in the chair. 

Dr Hasan said if there is the responsibility with freedom, mass media can operate properly. But if the freedom is exercised avoiding responsibility, then in many cases the society as well as the state is harmed, he added.

The mass media is the fourth pillar of the state and democracy and the mass media are complement to each other, he said, adding: “Without freedom and transparency of media, democracy can never be operative and democratic social system cannot survive. Therefore, freedom of media and freedom of expression are definitely necessary to consolidate the democracy”.

Dr Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has emphasized on the expansion and freedom of the media to develop democracy and a multidimensional social system, and establish justice and debate-based social system.

Highlighting the government's initiatives taken for the country's mass media sector, he said, "A total of 39 Television channels, including the state-run TV, came in broadcast in the last 14 years and some more channels will come to broadcast soon".

The journey of private TV and radio was started with the hands of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister said, adding, "When we formed the government in 2009, there were 10 TV channels and 450 daily newspapers, which are now 1,260. A total of 22 private FM radios were approved while 12 of them are on air. Several dozens of community radios were given approval while most of them are on air".

The number of online media is a matter of survey, he said, adding that more than 200 online media have already got while the total number, including newspapers and online of TVs, is much more.

Noting that thousands of journalists are now working in the mass media, the AL joint general secretary said renowned journalists would have not get the opportunity to express their 'talents' if the mass media has not expanded.

Such expansion of media hasn't taken place in other countries across the world and do not enjoy such unfettered freedom, he said, adding that except for a few, almost all televisions have been approved by the Awami League government.

But the government is criticized in talk show on all televisions every night, Dr Hasan said, adding, "Even when the news is released, the government never intervenes in this case. Because, we believe in free media, we believe in media freedom".

"We give the example of Singapore in every word. How Singapore transformed from a fishing village to a developed country. Singapore has a higher per capita income than almost all European Union countries.

Singapore's four channels are state controlled, most of the newspapers are also state controlled," he said, adding that all television channel feeds in Thailand are uplinked from one place. 

If content is not desirable, it is turned off and served with advertisements or something else, the minister said, adding, "This thing doesn't happen in our country". 

Malaysian students used to come to study in Bangladesh until the 80s, "But now our children are going there", he said, adding, "How they got to this place is a wonder. There is no freedom of media, no expansion".

Referring to the European countries, Dr Hasan said, "We try to follow the UK in many aspects of democracy. Every week, the media has to pay huge fines for publishing wrong or false news or violating someone's privacy".

Entire BBC team has to resign because of publishing a false report against an MP, he said, adding, "The 130-year-old newspaper 'News of the World' has gone bankrupt and was defunct after paying a several million pound as fine for publishing a false report. But such kind of incident has never been happened in our country. In Continental Europe, like in the UK, the media has to pay large amount of fines and get punished for publishing wrong or false news".