Solidarity call voiced for free, fair journalism

A solidarity call was voiced Saturday from a media conclave for intimidation-free, fair journalism, after a number of editors, publishers and senior journalists narrated their past ordeals.

Speakers there called for unity within the media profession, acknowledging past collective failures while urging a renewed commitment to ethical, fearless and accountable journalism. The mass-media convention was arranged at the auditorium of the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) at Khamarbari, Dhaka, by the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) and the Editors' Council, against the backdrop of shrinking media freedoms and growing pressure on news organisations.

The gathering was informed that newspaper owners and the editors' body would frame their separate codes of conduct for ethical media practice.

Speaking at the event, Veteran journalist and Jaijaidin editor Shafik Rehman delivered an emotion-charged address, criticising what he described as selective solidarity within the media community.

He referred to attacks on Naya Diganta and Daily Sangram during the last regime, when, he regretted, some leading editors did not speak out.

Even when his own newspaper was shut down, he did not find certain colleagues standing by him, despite having close personal relationships with them.

While endorsing the call for unity, Rehman stressed that unity must be principled and consistent.

"Today they want-and you all want-that all journalists become united. I also want that," he told the media meet.

He also spoke candidly about the physical toll of imprisonment, saying he had lost his left eye and left ear, with limited vision and hearing remaining on his right side. "But I am talking to you with a machine in my ear," he said, adding that none of these obstacles could silence his views.

Warning against professional compromise, Rehman -- who was oppressed, jailed and exiled under multiple regimes -- urged journalists to develop alternative skills beyond journalism, such as teaching, research and economics, for survival in any crisis of existence in this profession.

Relying solely on journalism, according to him, could eventually force journalists into unethical compromises.

Expressing regret at being labelled a "pimp", he questioned sudden shifts in political alignment within sections of the media. "Those who were in favour of the Awami League a few days ago have now all become in favour of the BNP. Isn't this strange? It's magic," he said in a cryptic remark, warning that such opportunism erodes public respect for journalism.

The Financial Express publisher, Syed Nasim Manzur, highlighted the intrinsic link between a professional media and national accountability.

Quoting Evelyn Beatrice Hall's famous formulation of Voltaire's principles -- 'I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it' -- Manzur said this philosophy is vital for Bangladesh to this day.

From the perspective of both business and ordinary citizens, he said, a "healthy, professional media" is essential for progress, as it strengthens accountability across all sectors.

As the country moves towards elections, he expressed hope for an environment where people can "speak without fear", reaffirming his commitment to remaining in Bangladesh in pursuit of these fundamental rights.

Editors' Council president and New Age editor, Nurul Kabir, said democracy cannot survive without a free, active and fearless media. Any attempt to silence news organisations, he warns, ultimately obstructs the rights of entire society.

"The democratic aspiration that brings people into journalism can never be a crime," he said, adding that journalists collectively commit themselves to democracy, human rights, equality and a non-communal society.

Calling for unity, he said that if media outlets cannot function freely or speak out, rights across society would inevitably be suppressed.

Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman underscored the need for solidarity among journalists regardless of ideological differences. "Unity among journalists is essential. Any dispute, at any time, on any issue is harmful," he said.

Referring to Shafik Rehman's persecution, Matiur Rahman said restrictions on the press had been imposed by every regime.

He recalled the 1975 shutdown of all newspapers as a major authoritarian act and said subsequent military and democratic governments had followed similar patterns. While debates over past events were long overdue, he said, such discussions were finally taking place, with the convention itself reflecting efforts towards change.

The Daily Star editor, Mahfuz Anam, said it is time to build an accountable society alongside a new kind of democratic, strong, just and ethical journalism, particularly in the wake of the July mass uprising.

Calling for collective effort to rebuild public trust, he said the conduct of editors and editorial institutions directly shapes the credibility of the media.

An editor's ethical failure, he warns, damages not only the individual but the institution and the profession as a whole, noting that editors bear greater ethical responsibility than most other professions.

Amar Desh executive editor Syed Abdal Ahmed alleged that bureaucratic resistance, particularly from the Information Ministry, was obstructing implementation of the Media Reform Commission's report as the proposed reforms would reduce ministerial control.

Stressing political tolerance, he said the survival of the media ultimately depends on a government's willingness to accept criticism as a means of correcting its own mistakes.

Adding to the call for reform, Dhaka Tribune Editor Riaz Ahmed said media houses must prioritise self-regulation rather than external control.

"The best policy would be self-regulation," he said, so journalists across the country can practise their profession with dignity.

National Press Club president Hasan Hafiz said attacks on the media were not new, describing them as a longstanding burden borne by the profession for more than a decade.

He called on political parties to include clear commitments to press freedom in their election manifestos and demanded full accountability for those promises.

Kader Gani Chowdhury, Secretary-General of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), warned that unity was no longer optional but essential for survival.

Lamenting ideological bias and hypocrisy within the profession, he said journalists often applauded when colleagues from opposing viewpoints were attacked.

"Journalists have no friends," he said. "If we do not forget our differences, we will be picked off one by one."

Media Reform Commission head Kamal Ahmed said journalism loses credibility when practitioners assume "dual identities" by acting simultaneously as politicians, contractors or lawyers, blurring the boundaries of the profession.

He also criticised the government for failing to implement the Media Protection Act recommended by the Reform Commission, despite a draft having been prepared.

"If we cannot protect our own profession, we will have to continue the struggle to demand that protection from whichever government comes next," he said.

Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra vice-president Munima Sultana said reform was not solely the government's responsibility, arguing that owners and investors must also ensure professional, socially responsible newsroom environments.

Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) leader Shahidul Islam said journalists often fail to support one another because they do not "feel the pain" of repression until it affects them personally.

Only a united front, he said, could deter state officials and vested interests from suppressing the media under various pretexts.

Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud moderated discussion at the meet.

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