BSS, Cox’s Bazar
The seventh South Asian Free Media Conference (SAFMA) under the theme of ‘Democracy and Authoritarianism’ began here yesterday with a call to enable democratic values flourish and benefit people living in abject poverty from the fruits of democracy by breaking local power nexus and empowering them at the grassroots.
The speakers, participating in the three-day conference at the beautiful tourist resort of Cox’s Bazar, focused on the issues of democracy and authoritarianism in South Asia, besides taking a serious notes of recent terrorism in Mumbai.
They urged all SAARC member nations to help grow the democratic values, and promote connectivity and partnership among people of this region by allowing free movement of journalists and media products.
Minister for Information and Cultural Affairs Abul Kalam Azad was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the conference, taking place at a time when a new wave of democracy in all the countries of South Asia has forced the authoritarian forces to recede with popular democratic governments in power. The inaugural function was addressed, among others, by President of SAFMA Reazuddin Ahmed, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA Sri Lankan chapter President Lakshman Gunasekara, SAFMA Vice-President Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and SAFMA General Secretary Bangladesh chapter Zahiduzzaman Faruk.
Earlier, the SAFMA presidency was handed over to Bangladesh from Sri Lanka, amidst clapping. Diplomats of different SAARC countries also attended the function.
Noted economist and Chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue Prof Rehman Sobhan presented the keynote paper on “Development paradigms and nation building in South Asia: An agenda for building more inclusive societies” at the inaugural session.
Besides the inaugural session, two working sessions under the titles of ‘Democracy and Authoritarianism’ and ‘Media and Mumbai Terrorism’ were also held.
More than 250 journalists from eight SAARC countries are attending the seventh conference organised by the SAFMA at Seagull Hotel overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
Noted journalists and civil society members from SAARC countries took part in the discussion. SAARC groups Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The participants said when the people of South Asian countries are rejoicing democratic gains, they should also look towards their consolidation.
They said the sustainability of democratic institutions will be tested against the high waters of global recession, higher expectations of the people and on the imperatives of good governance and democratic values.
The speakers drew a distinction between formal and substantive democracy as well as covert and overt authoritarianism in order to avoiding conflicting the normative with the empirical of both democracy and authoritarianism.
The participants said without a semblance of normalisation of Indo-Pak relations, all the countries of the region will continue to be distracted from the goals of development as human freedom.
This is the litmus test, they said, in the tussle between dominance and resistance which is pivotal to the present and future of a democratic, moderate and hopefully peaceful South Asia.
They also called for allowing the media persons of the SAARC region to move across the region without restrictions of visa regime and are facilitated by greater connectivity through road, rail, air and sea.
They urged the governments of SAARC member states to protect and respect freedom of the press and ensure safety of journalists.
The members of Bangladesh delegation include President of SAMC Bangladesh chapter Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley and General Secretary Shaukat Mahmud, Editor of the Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Editor of the Sangram Abul Asad, SAFMA General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Faruque, Editor of the Bhorer Kagoj Shyamal Dutta, BFUJ President Ruhul Amin Gazi, Secretary General MA Aziz, BFUJ Secretary General Altaf Mahmud, senior journalists Amanullah Kabir, M Shahajahan Mian and Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, General Secretary of Jatiya Press Club Kamaluddin Shabuj, former ambassador Mohammad Zamir, DUJ President Abdus Shahid and DUJ General Secretary Omar Faruque.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
