State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat has said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to ensure the protection of professional journalists, reports BSS.
"Our target is to give protection to all professional journalists so that none can suddenly join journalism as wish and make professional journalists scapegoat for their misdeeds," he said.
The state minister was exchanging views with Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) leaders at his ministry office in the city on Tuesday.
At the meeting, the DUJ leaders placed an 11-point demand, including announcement and implementation of the 10th wage board at the quickest possible time, ensuring representation of DUJ at all committees concerned to the wage board, bringing all journalists working at televisions, FM radios and online media under the wage board.
Highlighting the government's different media friendly initiatives, Arafat said the government has no intention to control journalists and media. The exponential expansion of the mass media in the last 15 years is the evidence of it, he added.
If Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led government has any intention to control the media, it wouldn't have allowed the number of media to increase, the state minister said.
"Indeed, we want the existence of a healthy and strong mass media, which will present the government's mistakes and failures," the state minister said, adding, "We don't fear constructive criticism as it helps government correct the flaws. But what we dislike is cheating people and misleading them with falsehood."
Govt wants to ensure protection of journalists: Arafat
FE Team | Published: July 10, 2024 00:37:07
Govt wants to ensure protection of journalists: Arafat
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