Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that it is the responsibility of the media to highlight both development and progress as well as mistakes. But in many cases it is left aside. It does not benefit the country and society. When there is an achievement of the nation, it is the duty of the media to ensure that the image of that achievement is properly published.
He said these things in his speech as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of a daily newspaper at National Press Club on Topkhana Road in the capital on Thursday (September 29).
He said, according to IMF estimates, in 2021, we have surpassed India in terms of per capita income, surpassing Pakistan long ago. When that report was published in the world media as well as the media of India and Pakistan, there was a storm of criticism about the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. But sadly true, the storm of praise did not flow in our own country. This is the responsibility of the media, but it did not happen.
The information minister reminded about the contribution of the government behind the way our women`s football team, cricket team and youth teams have won titles at various levels of the world. He said, today various products are exported from our country to foreign countries. For that, the government provides the electricity, gas, water, infrastructure, policies and incentives required. My request is that when there is any achievement of the nation, the image of that achievement should be properly published in the media.
Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, it can be seen in some media or television that sometimes small things are shown big but many important things are not shown. Again many achievements of the government are printed on the third page and mistakes are placed on the first page. It does not benefit the country and society. That`s why everyone needs to be aware. If people are presented with only images of despair, the nation will be disappointed. In that case it is not possible to face the challenges and move forward which is possible with optimism.
Dr. Hasan said, "Our government is a media-friendly government. People`s leader Sheikh Hasina thinks that through the development of media, the foundation of a multi-dimensional democratic society is strengthened, that`s why our government is doing everything necessary for the development of media.`` It was 4.500, today it is above 12.500. The journey of private television also started in 1996 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In 2009, when he formed the government again, there were 10 private TVs. Today 46 licenses are issued. 5 thousand applications have been received for online newspaper registration. Earlier there were only a handful. In this way, mass media has developed greatly in the last fourteen years.
Not only the development of the media, but the welfare trust established by him for journalists has become a place of trust for the journalists of the entire country, the information minister said, if a journalist dies, he gets Tk 3 lakh, if he is sick, he gets a grant. We are going to make arrangements so that the children of indigent journalists get education support from the trust. During the intense first, second, third wave of Corona, only if journalists died in the subcontinent, aid was given to India. In our country, we have given one-time help to thousands of journalists against Corona, it is still ongoing.
Reminding that the place where we are sitting at the National Press Club today was allotted free of charge by the father of the Prime Minister, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Broadcasting Minister said, the Prime Minister has already given instructions for the construction of the 21-storey building of the National Press Club and has finalized the preliminary design. Thus, our government has taken various steps in the development of mass media.
On the occasion, under the chairmanship of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Principal Roshan Ara Mannan MP, Gazi Mohammad Shahnawaz MP, Ahsan Adelur Rahman MP, Begum Aparajita Haque MP, Senior Journalist Feroz Alam Milan and Managing Editor Professor Momena Mannan addressed the meeting as special guests.
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