Journalists slam govt bid to control media

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) have condemned the government's effort to create pressure on private television channels to broadcast news on the ongoing democratic movement as 'terrorist activities'.
BFUJ President Shawkat Mahmud, General Secretary MA Aziz and DUJ President Abdul Hye Shikder and General Secretary Jahangir Alam issued a joint statement on Thursday saying that Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu had created pressure on the private television channels during a meeting with senior officials.
 "Media is always accountable to the people for journalism with freedom. This kind of pressure is an obstruction to the freedom of expression and free media," they said in the statement adding that at that meeting pressure was created over airing the ongoing democratic movement as 'terrorist activities'.  
Expressing surprise at this kind of one-sided policy of the government, the BFUJ and DUJ leaders said the journalist community always remains with the side of the democratic movement and freedom of media.
They cited the government's effort to enact some black laws including the broadcast policy to curtail the right to freedom of expression.