250 more online news portals to be registered by July

As many as 200-250 more online news portals are going to be registered by next July, Information and broadcasting ministry secretary Md Maqbool Hossain has said.

"The ministry has already given its nod to aforementioned online portals for registration. Many more applications have been submitted," he was exchanging views with district journalists at Rajshahi Circuit House on Thursday.

The secretary further said, "Many political leaders, businessmen and people of different professions are running newspapers, online news portals and IP TVs for their own benefit. We have collected information through various intelligence agencies. We have decided on 150 newspapers."

"Many have turned the media into a business. They are using these media for their own interest. Many of them are using the media to spread rumours for serving their own interest. We are monitoring these issues," he warned.

"It has not been decided yet that who are the journalists, who are the reporters? In district and upazila levels, those who do journalism, educated and those who run newspapers can make a list of journalists," Maqbool Hossain added.

Director General of the Department of Mass Communication Jasim Uddin graced the view exchange meeting as special guest, with Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Abdul Jalil in the chair.

The information secretary also answered various questions of the journalists present at the programme.