2 September 2020, Wed, 12:41

Secretary General condemns

New directives from the government; TV, dailies, radios need separate registration for online versions

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former lawmaker Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 2 September 2020 protesting the government’s directives to the online news portal, national dailies, radio and televisions to register its online version separately.

The draft National Online Media Policy, 2017 (Amendment 2020) is not finalized yet. However, the information ministry gives directives to the online news portal, national dailies, radio and televisions to register its online version separately. The cabinet approved the draft National Online Media Policy, 2017 (Amendment 2020) on 31st August at a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, bringing some amendments and keeping the provision. As such, from now on, a newspaper will need registration to run its online version if contents in the portal and the print edition are different.Licensed television and radio channels will also require the registration to publish their news online.

The constitution of Bangladesh guarantees press freedom at all contexts. Constitutionally, this law contradicts the sprit of press freedom and free media policy. Already, various human rights watchdogs and others protested and condemned the government’s drafted policy.

The present government has come to the power through a controversial elected marked with rigging and irregularities. They have hijacked people’s voting rights. Moreover, the authority is mulling to enact such debatable policy to subdue and suppress the media. This act is being enacted to control the newspaper in order to refrain the media from publishing or telecasting authentic and accurate news.

I am urging the concerned authorities not to impose such rigid measures upon the media in a bid to ensure press freedom and freedom of speeches.