Over 8,000 online news portals apply for registration

The government has received more than 8,000 applications for registration of online news portals, according to Information Minister Hasan Mahmud.

Only those “who can truly work” will get the registration after scrutiny, the minister told reporters after a session of the conference of deputy commissioners or DCs at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.

New media and its challenges, and discipline of online media, were among other topics of discussion in the conference, Hasan said.

After receiving over 8,000 applications for registration of online news portals until the deadline on Monday, the minister said: “We will check these and give registration only to the ones that are really necessary and truly have the capability to work.” 

The government will find out and cancel the applications that were submitted for “other reasons”, he said.

“We hope discipline will be established once the registration process is completed,” the minister added.

The information ministry gave the online news portals until June 30 for registration and later extended the period by 15 days.

Earlier, the government said the registration move was to stop 'yellow journalism' and ensure government support.