Around 60 journalists of print and electronic media were forced out of a meeting on road safety by four ministers yesterday, although the media were invited to cover the event.
The four are Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Home Minister Sahara Khatun and her deputy Shamsul Haque Tuku.
Invited by the communications ministry, the reporters went to cover the National Road Security Council meeting at Rail Bhaban in the capital at 10:30am. The communications ministry organised meeting with Abul Hossain in the chair.
Half an hour into the meeting, Shahjahan Khan, who is also a trade union leader, questioned the media presence first. He demanded that the communications minister tell the journalists to leave.
Abul Hossain complied.
As the reporters protested it, the shipping minister said the meeting was for the road security council, not open to the public.
“Were it a public meeting, we could have held it at Paltan Maidan,” he said.
At one stage, Tuku joined Shahjahan and angrily asked the journalists to wait outside the room.
“If necessary, we’ll call you.
“We’re working for the interest of the country. So, you people wait outside and let us continue the meeting. We’ll let you know the outcome of the meeting,” Tuku said.
The reporters then wanted to know whether it was a secret meeting, saying that they, too, are in favour of road safety.
At one stage, Tuku stood up and shouted at a reporter who was insisting on covering the event.
“Where [from which press] do you come from?” Tuku demanded.
At this stage, Sahara Khatun requested the reporters to leave the room.
Asked why then the journalists were invited, Tuku said it was “a misunderstanding,” and they will try to avoid such situation in future.
After the meeting, communications minister explained his position of not allowing the media at the meeting.
“At my ministry, I usually allow journalists to attend such meeting and I used to do this. But this was a different meeting. Rather, the council decided to give a press briefing,” he said.
Courtesy of The daily Star
