The arrest of Golam Maula Rony, a lawmaker of the ruling Awami League, is a manifestation of the government’s respect for the country’s mass media, said information minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Thursday. “It is an unpardonable offence to physically assault media persons. Whoever is involved in such an offence, whether a minister or a parliamentarian, will have to face trial in the court. The arrest of Awami League lawmaker Rony shows the government’s respect for the mass media,” he said.
Inu expressed his reactions over Rony’s arrest after a session of the conference of the deputy commissioners (DCs) at the secretariat in the city.
“The arrest of Rony, who is in the dock of the court, has demonstrated the government’s respect for the mass media. I hope that all of you (the media) will come forward to establish the rule of law in the country,” he added.
Regarding the wage board, he assured the media persons that the eighth wage board for journalists would be published soon.
Inu further told the reporters that the DCs have requested him to ensure that “propaganda and rumours” in the newspapers be stopped.
“The government will consider the matter for halting propaganda in the online newspapers. This will be juxtaposed with the formulation of a policy for the online newspapers,” the information minister said.
“The online media is providing good information and news, but at the same time it is spreading propaganda and rumours, which is somewhat hampering the democratic process,” he observed. The information minister, however, clarified that the government has no intention of asphyxiating the mass media in the name of control.
“We have told the DCs that we are formulating a policy for the mass media. We don’t want to smother the online media in the name of control. We believe in the development and evolution of online newspapers. It adds a new dimension to the mass media. Our main principle is to strengthen the mass media,” he added.
-With The Independent input
