Regulation is needed to protect professional journalists: Arafat

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today (10 MArch) said though regulation can impede freedom of speech and media, it is needed for protecting journalists.

"France has some regulators which submit reports to the government after finding out the disinformation. I agreed with the French envoy that regulation can impede freedom of speech or media, but it is also important to protect the freedom of media," he said.

The state minister said this while talking to reporters after emerging from a meeting with French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy at his ministry office in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Noting that laws and regulations are needed for the protection of professional journalists, Arafat said it should be monitored whether the application of laws is misused since there is no country out of the purview of regulation in the globe.

Referring to European Union (EU) laws to fight out the disinformation, he said all countries across the world have laws to prevent the disinformation and they have compromised in this regard.

"I am trying to understand how the European, western and our neighbouring countries are dealing with the phenomena and how to take necessary steps accordingly," the state minister said.

Asked about the EU statement over the last general elections that "Bangladesh elections were not acceptable", Arafat said, "The EU didn't make any such comment; rather they expressed keenness to deeply work with Bangladesh. Today the French envoy also echoed the statement."

As the state minister sought cooperation from France ambassador over collaboration between Bangladesh's state-owned BTV and France government subsidised France24 TV, Marie expressed keenness to extend support in this regard.

Replying to a question over the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh's (COAB) strike on Monday to press home their different demands, Arafat urged the COAB leaders to refrain from calling such a protest programme as the ministry is working to resolve the issues.

Asked about jail of Daily Desh Rupantor Nakla upazila correspondent Shafiuzzaman Rana by a mobile court, he said the Information Commission is investigating the incident to find out the actual fact and steps will be taken accordingly.