Govt to review media outlets owned by former AL ministers, MPs: Adviser Mahfuj
Government facilities and advertisements will be available for those newspapers which will follow the government policies, he says
The government will assess the present condition of the media outlets owned by former ministers and MPs of ousted Awami League government, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Mahfuz Alam said today (21 April).
"Many ministers and parliament members became owner of mass media in various ways during the regime of last fascist government. The present condition of those media should be examined and necessary steps should be taken," he said in a meeting with stakeholders of DFP in the conference room of the ministry.
He also stated that the government will form a taskforce for development of newspaper industries.
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"The task force will transparently find out actual circulation of the newspapers, take steps for implementing the wage board awards and fix the advertisement rates for the overall development of newspaper industry," he said.
Laying importance on the newspapers to follow the government policies, he said government facilities and advertisements will be available for those newspapers which will follow the government policies.
Tax return of the mass media organisations should also be verified, he noted.
Mahfuj Alam said the government does not want to terminate publication of any newspaper.
"However, it's required for all newspapers to ensure transparency at every level and an environment of competition must be created among different newspapers," he added.
At the meeting, Media Reform Commission chief Kamal Ahmed said the government should not patronise those newspapers which are "out of the competition."
He stressed on making separate policy for English newspapers.
Director General of the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) Khaleda Begum said the newspaper audit system needs to be reformed. She sought cooperation of all concerned to allow the DFP to work freely and transparently.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farjana, Media Reform Commission Member and Dhaka University Mass Communication and Journalism Department faculty Prof Giti Ara Nasrin, Jatiya Press Club president Hasan Hafiz, Daily Manabzamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, DUJ President Shahidul Islam, executive editor of Daily Prothom Alo Sajjad Sharif, managing editor of Daily Dinkal Shimul Biswas, executive editor of Daily Naya Diganta Masumur Rahman Khalili and representatives of the media houses and government officials were present.
