Journalists Will Have To Create Mass Awareness Against Terrorism: PM

"We want neutrality from you, nothing else," she said while addressing an iftar mahfil organized by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) here.

Sheikh Hasina said journalists will have to create mass awareness against terrorism, militancy, smuggling and drugs.

"Burning people to death and destroying property are not politics or political movement. It's like killing people. So I am urging the journalist community to be vocal against these heinous crimes," she said.

The Prime Minister said her government has taken steps to frame a policy on online media so that excellence in professionalism takes place in the field. "We don't want to control ... but everything will have to be run on the basis of a policy so that the society is not polluted."

She said the world has been digitized due to innovation of technologies. "But we have to give attention so that it's not misused and alien culture does not creep into the country.

With BFUJ President Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul in the chair, the function was addressed by PM's Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, BFUJ Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, DUJ President Altaf Mahmud, Jatiya Press Club President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman and General Secretary Qamrul Islam Chowdhury.

DUJ General Secretary Quddus Afrad conducted the function.

Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Railway Minister Mazibul Hoque, PM's Advisers HT Imam and Dr Moshiur Rahman, Information Secretary Mortuza Ahmed, PM's Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Jainul Abedin, Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, editors of different dailies and news agencies and leaders of professional bodies attended the iftar.

A special munajat was offered on the occasion seeking divine blessings for continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.

Earlier, after reaching the venue at 6.15 pm, the Prime Minister went round different tables set for the journalists and other guests and exchanged pleasantries with them.

Illustrating her government's steps for welfare of the journalist community, the Premier said Awami League always thinks for the welfare of the people. "But it's right that Awami League face criticism from journalists."

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said the Awami League has to listen to criticism as it works much for the people. "Those who do not work, don't face criticism, she said, adding that criticism is good at it opens our eyes."

Responding to various demands of the BFUJ and DUJ leaders including allocation of seed money to Journalists' Welfare Trust, formation of a new wage board, the Prime Minister said there is no need to raise demand to her.

"I have formed Journalists' Welfare Trust out of my own thinking, no demand needed for its constitution," she said.

The Prime Minister said the eighth wage board for the journalists has been implemented. "But some media outlets have executed it, some did not," she said, adding that steps would be taken to constitute the next wage board.

In this connection, she stressed the need for taking such steps for the electronic media.

The Prime Minister said it was Awami League government which allowed television and radio in private sector. "It has created huge employment in the field." Putting emphasis on framing broadcast policy, she said it would bring discipline in the sector.

Sheikh Hasina said the Information Ministry has been working to enact a new law by modernizing the 1974 Newspaper Employees (Conditions and Services) Act for the welfare of the industry.

Besides, she said, the government has taken steps to strengthen the Press Council and training for the journalists to keep pace with the digitized world.

Talking about the allocation of seed money for the Journalists' Welfare Trust Fund, the Prime Minister called upon the owners of newspapers and electronic media, and journalists and others to come forward to this end.

Spelling out her government's steps for the development of the country, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh Awami League has brought independence under the leadership of Bangabandhu.

"The aim of the independence was to ensure socioeconomic development of the people and wipe out poverty and Awami League has been working to uphold that spirit," she said.

The Prime Minister said the poverty rate has been reduced to 22.7 per cent and extreme poverty to 7.9 per cent and the country became self-sufficient in food due to different steps of the Awami League government.

She said the socioeconomic development of the rural people did not come all of a sudden; it took place due to the prudent plans and measures of the Awami League government. "The country would have advanced further if we had got support of all," she said.