Govt to take institutional method to guard setting journalism: Arafat – Bd24live

2

State Minister for Data and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat right this moment stated for the reason that authorities is dedicated to guard setting, it can take an institutional method to guard the fact-based journalism on local weather and environmental points.

“It’s our central dedication to guard setting. If any journalist faces issues, created by so-called native influential people who find themselves liable for setting ruination, for reporting on environmental points anyplace, we are going to guarantee full help and safety for her or him,” he stated.

“If wanted, we are going to take an institutional method on this regard” added the state minister.

He gave the peace of mind to journalists at a dialogue organized by the Jatiya Press Membership (JPC) at Jahur Hossain Chowdhury Corridor of the membership right here, marking the World Press Freedom Day with JPC President Farida Yasmin, MP, within the chair.

JPC Common Secretary Shyamal Dutta delivered welcome tackle within the occasion whereas Director of the Local weather Change Programme and City Improvement Programme and Catastrophe Threat Administration Programme at BRAC Dr Liakat Ali introduced the keynote paper.

Noting that Bangladesh is the worst sufferer of local weather change regardless of being least liable for it, Arafat stated, due to this fact, Bangladesh has to work taking the management function within the international stage on this regard.

Below the management of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he stated, Bangladesh is at all times vocal on international platforms and negotiating to appreciate compensation from the developed international locations liable for damaging setting.

“We’re working following an inclusive course of, involving the federal government, civil society and mass media as all are united relating to this subject,” Arafat added.

Together with defending setting and ecology, the federal government desires to maintain the wheel of the nation’s financial improvement transferring, however many individuals make sick efforts to create controversy over the event tasks utilizing the environmental points as a protect, he stated.

“So, I can’t take into account as skilled journalism the motivated journalism to halt the event spree utilizing the environmental points as a protect. We wish to work with all on the idea of partnership with utmost honesty,” Arafat stated.

He stated Bangladesh turned first amongst 200 international locations in attaining SDGs for six years in a row, which proved that this authorities doesn’t imagine in solely improvement however in sustainable improvement.

Reiterating the federal government’s dedication to make sure free circulation of knowledge, Arafat stated, he’s working to vary the restrictive mindset of presidency officers over offering data.

“We are going to manage orientation programmes for presidency officers at completely different ranges and coaching programmes for journalists on how they’ll successfully use the Proper to Data (RTI) Act to get data,” he added.

As there is no such thing as a efficient fact-checking physique within the nation, Arafat stated, he’s mulling over establishing a fact-checking physique linking with Press Council following an inclusive manner involving all stakeholders.

In regards to the RSF’s (Reporters With out Borders) World Press Freedom Index, he stated the RSF report of 2023 had many methodological weaknesses. “I despatched a letter to the RSF exhibiting their methodological weak point in that report and so they acknowledged the errors and corrected the info,” he added.

“As they printed this 12 months’s report based mostly on the final 12 months’s efficiency, I’ll take stronger steps subsequent 12 months in order that they replicate the true state of affairs of the nation of their report,” the state minister stated.

Govt Member of the JPC Managing Committee Zulhas Alam carried out the occasion whereas BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President and BSS Chief Information Editor (CNE) Omar Faruque, JPC former President Sawkat Mahmud and Diplomatic Correspondents Affiliation, Bangladesh (DCAB) President Nurul Islam Hasib spoke.

Earlier, in one other dialogue organized by the Editors’ Council at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Miah Corridor on the JPC, the state minister stated the mass media in Bangladesh is having fun with full freedom.

As some indiscipline entered the journalism enviornment, now the skilled journalists are demanding for bringing self-discipline within the sector, he stated.

“However we firmly imagine, so long as the media will take pleasure in freedom and free circulation of right data will likely be obtainable, disinformation will get eradicated from the society,” Arafat added.

The federal government at all times welcomes the constructive criticism based mostly on right data, he stated, including, “However we denounce the agenda-based systematic disinformation marketing campaign within the identify of criticism”.

Editors’ Council President Mahfuz Anam presided over the dialogue whereas Common Secretary Dewan Mohammad Hanif moderated it.

Newspaper Homeowners’ Affiliation of Bangladesh (NOAB) President AK Azad, JPC Common Secretary and Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shaymal Dutta, Desh Rupator Editor Mustafa Mamun, Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan, environmental lawyer Syeda Rezwana Hasan and environmental journalist Pinaky Roy spoke on the dialogue.

Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and Dainik Inqilab Editor AMM Bahauddin have been current, amongst others.