Govt won't impose any unilateral decision on media commission formation: Swapon
The minister said senior leaders of newspaper owners’ associations and the Editors’ Council recently held fruitful discussions with the head of government on the issue.
Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said yesterday that the government will not impose any unilateral decision while forming an effective and independent media commission.
The minister spoke as chief guest at a seminar organised by BBC Media Action with support from UK International Development at a Dhaka hotel.
The final framework of the proposed commission will be prepared through consultations with all stakeholders, taking into account previous discussions, proposals and relevant documents, Swapon said.
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The prime minister's information adviser, Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, spoke at the seminar as a panel discussant. A detailed discussion was held on "Learning and Exchange from Policy Reform to Newsroom Practices" under the PIMHE project.
The minister said senior leaders of newspaper owners' associations and the Editors' Council recently held fruitful discussions with the head of government on the issue. All work already done on the media commission and information commission will be considered important for future action, he added.
A consultative committee will be formed based on existing documents and recommendations. After receiving its suggestions, further discussions will be held with all stakeholders, media associations and international development partners.
No positive initiative or document from the past will be excluded from the reform process. All previous efforts will serve as the foundation for future work.
Replying to a question, Swapon said there are many successful examples of media commissions worldwide. He described the media as the "fourth pillar of the state" in modern civilisation.
The media world does not belong to the government alone; it is a collective domain for everyone involved, he said. The government, like others, is an equal stakeholder and will perform only the role of a facilitator on behalf of the state.
The government's main objective is to ensure a healthy and free flow of information for the people, the minister said. He expressed hope that international partners and local organisations would work as companions of the government in this transformation process.
British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke, former Media Reform Commission head Kamal Ahmed, and Broadcast Journalists Center chairman and Jamuna Television CEO Fahim Ahmed also spoke at the seminar.
