Media has watchdog role to ensure accountability: FM
Friday, 13 March 2009
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni Thursday said media and human rights are complementary to each other, reports BSS.
The society is prosperous where media is independent, she said adding that the media played an important role in establishing fundamental rights in a democratic society.
Dipu Moni was speaking at a national conference on 'Human Rights and Media' at Jatiya Press Club in the city organised by Bangladesh Centre for Development Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) with the assistance of European Union (EU).
EU ambassador Stephen Frowen spoke on the occasion.
Subudh Raj Piakoral from Nepal, eminent lawyer Dr Ahmed Ziauddin, eminent journalists ABM Musa, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Editor of The Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, President of Jatiya Press Club Shawkat Mahmud, former DUJ president M Shahjahan Mia, Syed Akhter Yousuf, Dhaka University professor Asif Nazrul, women leader Rokeya Kabir and Ruhin Hossain Prince took part in the discussion.
BCDJC Chairman Nayeemul Islam Khan gave the address of welcome in the conference moderated by Associated Press, Bangladesh Bureau Chief Farid Hossain. Safiul Islam presented a survey report on notion of the journalists about human rights.
Referring to the role of the journalists in establishing democracy and protecting human rights, Dipu Moni said now people could know about violation of human rights through electronic media, even if it takes place in the remote areas.
"It also enables the government to take quick steps regarding violation of human rights", she said.
Dipu Moni said the incidents of human rights violation were taking place as a culture of 'not showing respect to rule of law' has been developed here since long.
In this connection, she said, the trials of the killers of Bangabandhu and the war criminals were yet be held in the country.
Stephen Frowen said the media in a democratic system played an important role in protecting freedom of expression, but it was tough and even dangerous to discharge this duty properly in agitated areas of the world.
"Some incidents of human rights violation on the journalists occurred during the last caretaker government under the state of emergency", he said.
In this regard, he said all should keep in mind that media is not only a conducive force of democracy but also a watchdog of human rights.
Ahmed Ziauddin said it was the responsibility of the state and the government to protect human rights of every citizen.
Appreciating the commitment of Bangladesh to the international charter of human rights, he said "if trial of crimes are done, it will help stop repetition of larger crime in future".
Pointing to social responsibility of media, Subudh Raj Piakoral said ensuring representation of all classes of people in social activities is also part of human rights.
The society is prosperous where media is independent, she said adding that the media played an important role in establishing fundamental rights in a democratic society.
Dipu Moni was speaking at a national conference on 'Human Rights and Media' at Jatiya Press Club in the city organised by Bangladesh Centre for Development Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) with the assistance of European Union (EU).
EU ambassador Stephen Frowen spoke on the occasion.
Subudh Raj Piakoral from Nepal, eminent lawyer Dr Ahmed Ziauddin, eminent journalists ABM Musa, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Editor of The Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, President of Jatiya Press Club Shawkat Mahmud, former DUJ president M Shahjahan Mia, Syed Akhter Yousuf, Dhaka University professor Asif Nazrul, women leader Rokeya Kabir and Ruhin Hossain Prince took part in the discussion.
BCDJC Chairman Nayeemul Islam Khan gave the address of welcome in the conference moderated by Associated Press, Bangladesh Bureau Chief Farid Hossain. Safiul Islam presented a survey report on notion of the journalists about human rights.
Referring to the role of the journalists in establishing democracy and protecting human rights, Dipu Moni said now people could know about violation of human rights through electronic media, even if it takes place in the remote areas.
"It also enables the government to take quick steps regarding violation of human rights", she said.
Dipu Moni said the incidents of human rights violation were taking place as a culture of 'not showing respect to rule of law' has been developed here since long.
In this connection, she said, the trials of the killers of Bangabandhu and the war criminals were yet be held in the country.
Stephen Frowen said the media in a democratic system played an important role in protecting freedom of expression, but it was tough and even dangerous to discharge this duty properly in agitated areas of the world.
"Some incidents of human rights violation on the journalists occurred during the last caretaker government under the state of emergency", he said.
In this regard, he said all should keep in mind that media is not only a conducive force of democracy but also a watchdog of human rights.
Ahmed Ziauddin said it was the responsibility of the state and the government to protect human rights of every citizen.
Appreciating the commitment of Bangladesh to the international charter of human rights, he said "if trial of crimes are done, it will help stop repetition of larger crime in future".
Pointing to social responsibility of media, Subudh Raj Piakoral said ensuring representation of all classes of people in social activities is also part of human rights.