Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Bangladesh Press Council (BPC) is making a roadmap for creating a database to protect the journalists and the mass media of the country.
"Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had established the Bangladesh Press Council. The organization was established aimed at resolving disputes between readers and newspapers as a judicial board. Steps have been taken for strengthening it (BPC) and a draft of the new act for the organization has already been sent to the Cabinet," he said. The minister added: "The power of the BPC will increase if the draft act is passed in parliament."
Hasan told the reporters after receiving the annual report-2020 of the BPC from its chairman at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital. BPC Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Haque Nasim, the daily Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, the daily Jugantar editor Saiful Alam, the daily Provat editorial board chairman Muzaffar Hossain Paltu, Bangla Academy director general Muhammad Nurul Huda, Md Shafiul Islam, MP, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) office secretary Sebika Rani Dey, the daily Jatiya Arthaniti editor SM Kibria Chowdhury and BPC secretary Shah Alam, among others, were present in the function.
Hasan extended thanks to the BPC for beginning the work for making lists of journalists based on a policy along with providing trainings to them (journalists). He said often the whole community (journalists) is affected when a person commits crime using the identity of journalist. "I've requested the Press Council to create a database of journalists and mass media after formulating a policy through discussions with stakeholders to protect the whole journalist community. I think it will bring discipline and the real journalists and mass media will be protected. The Press Council has already begun their work. For this, I would like to give thanks to them," he added. Replying to a query over an allegation of BNP secretary general, the minister said there were cases against some BNP leaders and activists and some warranted accused are holding rallies and giving speeches in front of the Press Club and their Naya Paltan office. It is the duty of police to arrest those accused when they are in front of the force, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
The minister said necessary legal steps should be taken against those, who carried out arson attacks and killed people, to free the politics from stigma and from the hands of terrorists and militants.
