RFED demands revision of EC's media guidelines, threatens to boycott election coverage
The memorandum highlighted that the policy was unilaterally formulated, thus violating principles of independent journalism and democratic practice
The Reporters' Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) has urged the Election Commission (EC) to immediately suspend and revise its newly drafted guidelines for journalists, arguing that the policy was created without any consultation with media professionals.
It also warned that if the guidelines are not amended, journalists will refuse to cover the upcoming general election under the existing regulations.
A delegation led by RFED President Kazi Jebel and General Secretary Golam Rabbani submitted a memorandum in this regard to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the EC Building today (6 August), reads a RFED press release.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Kazi Jebel, also a special correspondent of Jugantor, issued a 15-day ultimatum to the EC for the policy's revision.
The memorandum highlighted that the policy was unilaterally formulated, thus violating principles of independent journalism and democratic practice.
Among the four key issues raised by the RFED were the imposition of impractical restrictions on journalist access and movement inside polling centres, the prohibition of interviews and live broadcasts, and the inclusion of one-sided punitive clauses that disregard journalists' safety.
The organisation's members vowed to announce further programmes if their demands are not met.
