Surmounting Hurdles With Ethical Strength: The Glory of The Asian Age

 

The Asian Age has been an uncompromising and morally emboldened newspaper since its inception back in 2014. Since the very beginning we have relentlessly published objective, unbiased, evidential, authentic and impartial reports, commentaries, analysis, articles and opinion pieces on different domestic and international phenomena.

Our stance has always been firm and unwavering against all forms of corruption, irregularities, discrepancies, curbs and restraints on freedom of expression. And we had to pay a big price too while doing so.

I believe you are aware of the fact that how Bangladesh’s banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and stock markets were plundered and torn apart during the immediate past regime, to be more precise from 2016 to 2024. We published a broad number of reports on the vicious quarters who were directly associated with financial crimes like loan scams, money laundering, mysterious loans, rackets and many other forms of vices that crippled the country’s banking and financial sectors and also baffled Bangladesh’s economic potentialities.

 Fabricated defamatory and repressive cases were filed against The Asian Age journalists and top management for our tireless combat against graft, anomalies, financial anarchy, embezzlements, mishandling depositors’ money and fascist state mechanism. On several occasions we were subjected to unlawful and inhuman coercion which compelled us to delete certain corruption reports from our website. The law and order forces under the ousted government intimidated and harassed our journalists over reports on dishonest bureaucrats, immoral politicians, sold out regulators and unscrupulous business syndicators. Our internet access was frequently blocked and supply of utility services in our newspaper office was also obstructed every now and then.  A big sum of advertisement bills is still pending with different government offices which have not been paid for last almost ten years.

The Asian Age even did not hesitate to write against the offences committed by two former Principal Secretaries to the ex Prime Minister as a result of which we had to confront blood eyes from influential government officials and powerful business leaders who paralyzed the country’s banking systems and trampled bureaucratic smoothness over and over again.

The Asian Age became an explicit antagonist to the ruling party that collapsed a few weeks ago.
Even former Director General of DGFI Major General Akbar Hossain once threatened to abduct our Editorial Board Chairman. DGFI sent miscreants to The Asian Age press in November 2019 who threatened to shut down the newspaper’s publication.

The Department of Films and Publications (DFP) and some other state-run agencies forced The Asian Age to publish full page supplements free of cost on the founding anniversary of the ruling party which was so long in power. Moreover, the authorities concerned deprived The Asian Age of getting supplements on national events. All these unethical and antagonistic activities by the past regime have plunged The Asian Age into severe monetary crisis.

The Asian Age published reports and write-ups giving legitimate and rational support to the demonstrators who conducted countrywide Anti-Discriminatory Students’ Movement from July to 5 August 2024. The Asian Age also congratulated the fearless and patriotic students, both boys and girls, who ousted a tyrannical government from power. Even two journalists belonging to The Asian Age were seriously wounded by the overthrown government’s law and order forces and miscreants during news coverage on the above agitations. These two reporters are Mostafizur Rahman and Kamal Hossain Mithu.

Now it has come to us like an air of relief and bliss that the country’s young generation has liberated us from misgovernance, torture and persecution. Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate poverty eradicator, unmatched economist and peace emissary has taken over the echelon of the interim government’s Chief Adviser which was along-cherished desire of millions of people throughout Bangladesh. Dr.Muhammad Yunus himself also faced an unspeakable range of exasperationat the hands of the immediate past rulers.

The Asian Age always lays high emphasis on Bangladesh’s youngsters. We used to publish a particular feature page titled “Teens and Twenties” which was mainly focused on the achievements, innovations, success stories, dreams and ambitions of our young generation. The Asian Age regularly publishes another page titled “Connected Age” which is also a portrayal of the thoughts, expressions, views and imaginations of young boys and girls which are exposed on social media.

We want to put our whole confidence on the country’s youths who have rescued us from a dark and unfathomable black hole and have opened up adoor to light and optimism. Now we need countrywide unity andinterreligious brotherhood to foster and drive forward the newBangladesh which was born on 5 August 2024. We must keep on working toestablish rule of law, good governance, justice and accountability in all sectors to become a prosperous country at a fast speed.

While concluding, I would like to extend compliments and adulation from the core of my heart to the interim government being run under the sagacious and firm leadership of Dr. Muhammad Yunus.


Dr. Jesmin Chowdhury is
Editor-in-Chief of The Asian Age.