Bangladesh must protect freedom of the press: Advisor Nahid Islam

The protest coordinator turned interim govt advisor says the laws and restrictions on the media should be reconsidered

Nahid Islam, the advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, says that the laws and restrictions on the media that have come under criticism should be reconsidered.

Nahid took charge of the ministry and held a meeting as its head on Sunday.

"We have heard on several occasions that freedom of expression has been curtailed,” he said. “If there is no freedom of the press, there is no freedom of speech. We have to work on the freedom of the media.”

He referred to the internet blackout during the protests saying that the government had shut it down and blocked information from getting out.

No one knew anything about what was happening and the electronic media was completely under the government’s control, he said.

He noted none of the protesters’ statements were broadcast at the time, he said.

Nahid said that, in his personal opinion, false or misleading statements from the protesters were published at the time. But, he said, even then they received some support from the print media and other media outlets also supported them in different ways.

"At different times, reporters who worked at the field level at various times have helped us in various ways. They stand for the people. Maybe because of the media house or because of the owner, they could not do many things at that time. We don't want this to ever return to Bangladesh. We want the media to work independently so that it can speak for the people. If we want democracy, we have to ensure the freedom of the media, the freedom of speech of the people."

He also said that journalists killed and injured during the movement and their families should be supported.

Nahid also bashed the investigations into the murders of Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi – two married Bangladeshi journalists whose killings had remained unsolved.

Such murders must be investigated, he said.

The government is considering an independent media commission, he said, but the initiative will be decided after discussions with journalists, he added.

If any laws have to be changed or reformed, that can also be done through discussions, Nahid said.

NO NEED TO CALL ME ‘SIR’: NAHID

Nahid also told journalists there is no need to refer to him as ‘sir’.

There is no need to think of me as a ‘sir’ and no need to call me one either, he said.

The leading coordinator of the student movement that toppled the Awami League government said that he had come to his new workplace with a dream of a new Bangladesh.

He asked the journalists to consider him as their own son, who is bringing the demands of the people to the government.

Nahid asked for their support in this endeavour.