'Journalist Protection Act' to be passed this November: Press Council Chairman

 
Bangladesh Press Council Chairman Justice AKM Abdul Hakim has announced that the long-awaited 'Journalist Protection Act' will be passed within this November.

He said this on Thursday afternoon at a training workshop titled "Preventing Misreporting and Promoting Objective Journalism", organized by the Bangladesh Press Council at the Narayanganj Circuit House conference room. 

A total of 45 journalists from various print and electronic media outlets in the district participated in the workshop.

AKM Abdul Hakim said, "Journalists have been expecting this law for long, and after going through nearly 19 stages of review, it is finally set to be approved. Once enacted, the law will provide journalists with a certain degree of physical and professional protection."

In addition to the Journalist Protection Act, several other proposed laws are in the pipeline and are expected to be passed soon, he added.

The workshop, held from 10 am. to 1:30 pm, was presided over by Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah. Among others present were Bangladesh Press Council Deputy Secretary Md. Abdus Sabur, District Police Superintendent Mohammad Jashim Uddin, and Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Tasmin Akter, along with journalists from different media outlets. In his concluding remarks, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah said, "Instead of trading blame, if we all perform our duties in an honest and responsible manner, we can eliminate irregularities and corruption and build a prosperous nation."