Tarana Halim, a current Central Executive Member of the Awami League and a former minister questioned Prothom Alo’s role to publish an ‘intentional news’ centering independence day.
She said, “How is it possible for a top daily journalist to pay to give a quote while simultaneously using an image of a minor child that any credible media outlet would have blurred? This clearly violates fundamental media ethics and amounts to blatant child exploitation.”
Additionally, misrepresenting the name of the child is terrible journalism that responsible editors should not condone, added Tarana.
She claimed that some stories in foreign media have reinforced the false narrative by claiming that the errant journalist Shamsuddin Shams has been imprisoned for reporting on the high costs of necessities.
She came up with these remarks during a demonstration at Russel Square.
"Sobuj is not the starving boy the journalist depicted him as because his parents have basic conveniences like a refrigerator and expensive wood furniture at home ,“ Tarana addressed the rally arranged by Juba Mohila League.
The home of Sobuj, which is in Savar, is furnished with all the necessities, despite their parents' denials that they go without food.
After Prothom Alo published a caption on the independence day with a picture of the young boy identified as a day laborer and holding flowers, Suboj's family encountered "unnecessary difficulties."
"What would I do with independence if my stomach was empty? The necessities of food are out of my reach... Read the story's caption, which Prothom Alo uploaded.
A press release from the Broadcast Journalist Center (BJC), a group of journalists from various media outlets, referred to that editorial judgment as "controversial," stating that the publication of the story had given rise to claims that the country's freedom had been minimized, casting doubt on the professionalism of the group.
The BJC message that denounced the arrest of Prothom Alo journalist Shams.
According to a TV media report, the kid alleged the reporter paid him 10 Taka and took his picture. 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.
Among others, special assistant to the prime minister Biplab Barua also the office secretary of ruling Awami League, Convener of Suchinta Foundation Mohammad A Arafat, Leaders of Juba Mohila League were present at the program.
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