Not media censorship but moral responsibility: Hanif

Telling television stations ‘to refrain from broadcasting negative news’ is not censorship in anyway, Awami League leader Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif has said.

Kushtia Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 Jan 2015, 11:14 AM
Updated : 23 Jan 2015, 02:30 PM

He was responding to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s allegation that the government has clamped censorship on the media.

“No civilised country publicises negative news. It is not imposed; it is done out of moral responsibility towards society. Terrorists will be encouraged if negative news is published,” the ruling party’s joint general secretary said in Kushtia on Friday.

"[The government] is imposing fresh censorship on the media so that the people cannot know the reality," BNP chief Khaleda's adviser Shawkat Mahmud had quoted her as saying on Thursday.

Several ministers met owners and representatives of private TV stations earlier on that the day and ‘advised them not to publish news that could instigate violence’.

In response to Khaleda’s reaction, Hanif said, “The authorities have promised that they will not run negative reports encouraging terrorists. How can this be censorship?”

He said the BNP chief ‘lacked knowledge’ on the matter. “Someone is misguiding her to make such statements,” he said.

The Awami League leader also rejected possibilities of talks with the BNP to end the political violence that erupted after the party had declared a countrywide transport blockade on Jan 5.

“Those who are killing people with petrol bombs and torching vehicles are terrorists. There is no scope of discussions with the terrorists,” he said.

The government could consider discussions with the political parties on their demands only after violence ceased, Hanif said.

At least 34 people have died and hundreds injured in arson attacks and blasts during the blockade of roads, waterways and railways.