Quader urges media to maintain objectivity

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has called upon the media to play an objective role in all spheres and sought media support in taking ahead the country.

He was addressing a view-exchange meeting with journalists arranged by Information and Broadcasting Ministry at Dhaka Club here tonight.

Information and Broadcasting Minister and AL Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud delivered the welcome speech, while Bangladesh Press Council Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq Nasim was also present on the occasion.

Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, AL advisory council member Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Presidium Members Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Shajahan Khan and Advocate Qamrul Islam, Organising Secretaries Mirza Azam and SM Kamal Hossain and Deputy Publicity and Publications Secretary Aminul Islam Amin also joined it.

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, daily Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, Kal Bela editor Abed Khan, Ajker Patrika Editor Professor Golam Rahman, Jatiya Press Club (JPC) former President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman, Jugantor editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayeem Nizam, Manabzamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamal Dutta, Amader Natun Somoy editor Naimul Islam Khan, Bangladesh Post editor Sharif Shahabuddin, Ekattor Television Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mozzamel Babu, Channel I director and news editor Shykh Seraj, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) former President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and  incumbent President Omar Faruque, JPC President Farida Yasmin, BFUJ general secretary Dip Azad, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and Journalists Welfare Trust Managing Director Subhash Chandra Badal were present among the media personalities.      

"Awami League believes in democracy and practices democracy. Our prime agenda is to safeguard people's lives  and property. We need your (media) support to this end," Quader said.

He said after the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members, Indemnity Ordinance was issued to protect the killers and the history of the liberation war were distorted completely.

AL leaders and workers were killed across the country, he mentioned.

Pointing to BNP, he said those who don't practice democracy how will they establish it in the country.