Without one or two exceptions, journalists working freely in Bangladesh: Press Council chairman

Journalists in Bangladesh are working freely except for one or two exceptions, Bangladesh Press Council Chairman Nizamul Haque Nasim said today (3 May).

"Journalists should have the right to write freely. Journalists themselves will decide which article will get published," he said while addressing a discussion programme at the National Press Club in the capital organised by National Association of UNESCO Clubs in Bangladesh marking World Press Freedom Day.

He also called on journalists "not to write anything that causes harm to the society and the state".

Nizamul, a retired Appellate Division justice, also urged media outlet owners to ensure the journalists' rights alongside the government. "Are they [owners] following the government wage board properly?" he asked.

"Many say journalists are oppressed by the government. I disagree. There are laws. When journalists make mistakes, action should be taken accordingly. Also, it is not correct that journalists cannot be granted bail according to the law. Only the judge has jurisdiction to grant bail," he said.

Meanwhile, presiding over the programme, Journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said, "There are talks about the press freedom index these days. Not all of these are correct.

"...These indexes are made based on a few indicators. Today Bangladesh ranks below The Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal. But if we go to the theoretical debate, we have to consider how many newspapers are published in Bhutan and The Maldives and how many journalists are there.

"Today, Bangladesh is being compared to Kashmir. In fact, how many figures are there in this index."