Don't let owners use media outlets for their own interests: President Hamid

President Abdul Hamid has called for efforts to ensure that the media organisations owned by different corporate groups are not used to advance interests of the owners.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 Feb 2019, 03:41 PM
Updated : 18 Feb 2019, 03:41 PM

“The big business groups of the country now own many mass media organisations which is undoubtedly playing a significant role in media expansion. I welcome the initiatives by the private sector,” he told the Bangladesh Press Council’s awards ceremony in Dhaka Monday.

“But it must be kept in mind as well that these mass media should not be used for any individual's or company’s interests,” he added.

The president emphasised efforts to ensure that news media organisations work to promote Bangali culture and Liberation War spirit besides publishing credible information by prioritising national interests.

“The Press Council must work as the watchdog here,” he added.

Hamid urged the news publishers to engage in “healthy competition within the rules”.

“Mass media, democracy and development are complementary and cannot run alone without each other. News media can give democracy an institutional form,” he remarked.

“But it must happen within the rules. False, provocative and ‘yellow’ journalism can never be friends to democracy,” the president added.  

He prodded the Press Council to make guidelines for other news media like those for the printed newspapers.

Hamid stressed involvement of the youth in journalism. “I strongly believe their involvement will enhance the profession’s dignity and expand it further."

He also urged the young journalists to work with honesty and without any bias in order to build a secular Bangladesh free from militancy and terrorism.

Journalist Golam Sarwar was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously at the programme. His son-in-law received the crest on behalf of the family.
The Daily Ittefaq and Dainik Azadi have been awarded in the ‘institution category’, Md Murshid Alam from Dainik Mukta Barta based in Bogura in rural journalism, Jasim

Uddin Harun from The Financial Express in development journalism, Sony Ramani from Daily New Age in photography, and Ayesha Siddika Akashi from Madaripur-based newspaper daily Subarnogram in women journalism.

Press Council Chairman Justice Mohammed Mumtaz Uddin Ahmed, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Information Ministry Hasanul Haq Inu, Information Secretary Abdul Malek, Press Council Member Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, among others, spoke on the occasion.