‍‍`Child stands with a flower representing Freedom is meaningless‍‍`

On Independence Day, a journalist of Prothom Alo handed over Tk 10 (9 cent) to the flower seller Sabuj to capture a photo from his back, facing the national memorial at Savar, the monument of marking our blood-shed independence each year. Later, the picture was appeared in a Facebook post of Prothom Alo where the caption notified that the kid’s state of hunger makes independence looks meaningless. However, the well-reputed media outlet did not take consent neither from the school going kid aged seven, nor from his well-off parents, according to a TV media report.

It is a cognizable offense. This is condemnable that a journalist who taught a child to lie by luring him with money. Samsuzzaman Shams intentionally dishonored the spirit of our independence, violating our law as well as contempt of the constitution. I find it extremely disappointing to use a child as a political tool. As a responsible citizen, I was unable to accept an act that would have declined Bangladesh‍‍`s independence.

Such criminal act of the country‍‍`s most prominent newspaper ‍‍`Prothom Alo‍‍` has disappointed me a lot as a reader. Because the general people still believe and trust the information provide in the newspaper. In this way, if the news is presented to the public with a purposeful crime, then the newspaper will lose its morals values.

I believe that publishing such news on our Independence Day is the same as trying to undermine Bangladesh‍‍`s great independence and denouncing Bangladesh‍‍`s independence. Should we ignore the crime committed by those who collected news in such a disloyal manner, as well as the editor who distributes news on Independence Day?

We understood the real story behind the image and statement provided in the news, which was purchased from the child with a lure of 10 Taka. It is only presented to us when the newspaper‍‍`s editor mainly focuses the news on a particular ulterior motive. This news highlighted social media. In common sense, the article was published on Independence Day to purposely undermine our freedom. The withdrawal of the news has proved that it is a self-inflicted crime.

Intentional journalism is more dangerous than false journalism. If a person really says, “If you don‍‍`t have enough rice in your stomach, what can you do with freedom? When you go to the market, you have to break a sweat. We can afford to buy fish, meat and rice, we need that freedom.”

 Zakir Hussain or Sabuj Mia, if any of them have said this; printing this on Independence Day is intentional journalism. For a long time, a group has been trying to say that our independence was wrong, Pakistan‍‍`s period was better.

Prothom Alo, the country‍‍`s most influential daily, that has a strong desk. Whatever the reporter writes, whatever the photojournalist takes; which will or will not be printed;

they will not decide that. That decision always taken by the editorial board. 

Not only Bangladesh, but the entire world‍‍`s economy is in turmoil due to pandemic and war. Not only a day laborer in Savar, but also many well-to-do middle class people in Bangladesh sweat when they go to the market. Due to rise in commodity prices, people‍‍`s nutrition has been strained. Market costs have to be reduced as there is no way to reduce certain costs. Therefore, the freedom gained by the blood of 3 million martyrs does not become meaningless. 

The plight of daily laborers like Zakir Hossain has come up. Many people may not even have the ability to go to the market, they have to search and carry on. But that does not make our Freedom and sovereignty are meaningless.

To fulfill specific objectives, when fake and misleading news is generated intentionally by prominent newspaper and media sites, that is a very concerning issue.

This kind fake content can distort our democratic ideology, affect public perceptions, or manipulate a human emotion destructive and easily. This types of news have led to a polarized society as evidenced by creating deceive perceptions among people. Then it creates auto reactions to our equilibrium system.

A multi-pronged governmental approach integrating internet security, proactive citizen communication, citizen digital and media literacy training along with the necessary institutional trust building efforts could perhaps curb fake news from further fueling fear and uncertainty during unprecedented crises situations such as 1/11 (One-Eleven) challenge.

We should keep in mind that, Bangladesh Awami League is the flag bearer party of our country‍‍`s freedom, sovereignty, prolonged and prosperity, success of all crucial situations.

The author is a former Secretary to Cultural Affairs of Sir A F Rahman Hall Union of Dhaka University (DU) and incumbent General Secretary of ruling Awami League‍‍`s student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League‍‍`s Sir A F Rahman Hall unit of DU.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Report’s editorial stance.