The closure of media outlets
Thursday, 10 June 2010
The Information Minister told parliament the other day that the government had not shut down the Bengali daily Amar Desh and that it was the deputy commissioner of Dhaka who had ordered its closure for alleged violation of the publication law. He said this while responding to the allegation by a BNP MP that the government had shut down the newspaper. The Minister also claimed that the present government believed in the free flow of information.
The ground reality is some media outlets have been closed and it is a matter of great concern. Meanwhile, two western governments have also expressed concern and said that the freedom of media is vital for a functioning and sustainable democracy.
That the bureaucrats are diluting the spirit of the Right to Information Act by ordering closure of the media outlets is not tenable. The political masters must take responsibility of the government decisions and actions.
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
gopalsengupta@aol.com
The ground reality is some media outlets have been closed and it is a matter of great concern. Meanwhile, two western governments have also expressed concern and said that the freedom of media is vital for a functioning and sustainable democracy.
That the bureaucrats are diluting the spirit of the Right to Information Act by ordering closure of the media outlets is not tenable. The political masters must take responsibility of the government decisions and actions.
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
gopalsengupta@aol.com