Print Media Played Most Vital Role in July Revolution: Nahid Islam

A view exchange conference between the interim government's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Nahid Islam and journalists representatives from a wide range of English and Bengali newspapers and online news portals was held in the Conference Room of the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) in Dhaka on Monday. Md. Nahid Islam was present at the event as the chief guest. It was moderated by Abul Kalam Mohammad Shamsuddin, DFP Director General in charge.

The conference began with a recital from the Holy Quran with Bengali interpretation of the recited verses. One minute silence was observed paying homage to the martyrs of the Glorious July Revolution. A special monajat was offered seeking mercy from Allah Almighty for the salvation of the departed souls of the people who got killed during the mass upsurge which led to the downfall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government from power and also for speedy recovery of the revolutionaries who are at present undergoing medical treatment in various hospitals and clinics all over Bangladesh.

It was a highly vibrant program in which opinions, comments, suggestions, proposals and even allegations from different journalists were stated to the Information and Broadcasting Adviser.

Editorial staff and reporters from Daily Jugantor, Naya Diganta, Daily Kaler Kantho, Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, The Asian Age, Daily Ajker Patrika, Dainik Ittefaq, Daily Sangram, Daily Sun, Financial Express, Dainik Sangbad, Dainik Inqilab, Dhaka Mail, Manab Zameen and some other local newspapers based outside Dhaka city talked at the conference about a broad spectrum of issues associated with newspapers and media industry.

The journalists who expressed their views in the conference called upon the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to eliminate all sorts of discrepancies in terms of advertisements, supplements, pending bills from government offices. The black law Cyber Security Act also came up in the discourses. All the journalists condemned the Cyber Security Act terming it a vivid threat to freedom of press and media workers' safety. They urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to bring about immediate reforms to the legal stumbling blocks which often put freedom of press and investigative journalism under grim threats.

An official representing Daily Inqilab said during the conference that their newspaper office was sealed off by the Awami League government indefinitely following the farcical election which was held on 5 January 2014. On the other hand, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Editor of Daily Manab Zameen informed that his newspaper received no supplements from the immediate past government that clung to power from 2009 to 2024. Moreover, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury obliquely stressed that dictations from intelligence divisions or law and order forces on news coverage must be halted forever. If a journalist does anything wrong, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is the only authorized portfolio to take required actions, according to Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.

Executive Editor of The Asian Age Mahfuz Ul Hasib Chowdhury said referring to a broad number of news platforms who have complained that getting supplements and other valid forms of support from DFP becomes a very tough job without buttering up the top functionaries of NOAB (Newspapers Owners Association of Bangladesh). Mahfuz Ul Hasib Chowdhury added that a monstrously influential intelligence force launched a Media Monitoring Wing in 2016 or 2017 through which journalists and newspapers were compelled to do many unethical things.

Editor of Daily Deshkal Dr. Nazmul Hasan Kalimullah was also present at the conference.

The journalists at the above conference stated that no special privileges should be given to some famous newspapers which operate their business with huge sums of capitals and which jeopardize the survival of newspapers that cannot afford to spend sufficiently for their print quality, staff salaries, operational costs etcetera. Strong emphasis on laid on ensuring a smooth and fair competition in the newspaper industry.

Some senior journalists also urged the proprietors of newspapers to establishment integrity and justice inside their own offices first before writing about good governance and rule of law in state machineries. Several journalists vehemently condemned the malpractice of authorizing bank plunderers, land-grabbers, money launderers and financial fraudsters to publish newspapers which particularly prevailed during last fifteen years. Proposals about launching a pension policy for journalists were also furnished to the Information and Broadcasting Adviser.

All journalists requested the officials of all ranks and files belonging to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and DFP to behave properly with media workers.

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam patiently listened to everything said by the journalists who were present at the conference. Nahid Islam said that print media enormously fuelled and bolstered the spirit and confidence of the demonstrators during the July Revolution while the then tyrannical government shut down internet connections all over Bangladesh for a few weeks. Access to online news portals was not possible at that time but printed newspapers made the biggest contribution under those crucial circumstances to overthrow the immediate past despotic regime from power.

Nahid Islam assured that effective measures would be carried out within around a week to formulate an outline of a Media Commission for the betterment of journalists and media outlets.

Nahid Islam also shared with journalists how he was abducted by the Detective Branch (DB) while the countrywide Anti-Discriminatory Students' Movement was going on. Nahid Islam added that during his detention under DB custody, everyday he waited for a chance to read a printed newspaper.

Nahid Islam concluded the conference extending thanks, appreciation and compliments to all the editors, reporters and media entrepreneurs who joined the program.