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Published : 19 Nov 2024, 09:57 PM
The government's outdated and flawed advertising policies have led to the misuse of taxpayers' money, according to bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi.
“Taxpayer money is routinely siphoned off through inflated circulation figures, and we in the media are complicit when we tolerate such behaviour,” he said during the country's first online newspaper’s 18th anniversary celebration at the Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The modest celebration was attended by members of the government, policymakers from leading political parties, judges and lawyers, business titans, industrialists, poets, authors and journalists, cultural activists, sports stars, officers in the armed forces, changemakers in different sectors, and people from all walks of life.
Khalidi said, “We continue to grapple with outdated media policies and government advertising regimes that benefit dishonest operators.”
According to the Department of Films and Publications, or DFP, there are 584 listed daily newspapers in the country, most of which are unheard of by the public.
The DFP receives inflated circulation numbers from these outlets, claiming over 18.5 million copies are printed daily, a figure far above the actual number.
The editor-in-chief pointed out that anyone familiar with government reports on newspaper circulation would recognise the absurdity of the figures.
He said government advertisements are allocated, and rates are determined, based on these inflated numbers.
“This has been happening for decades, and the recipient newspaper owners remain utterly shameless about it. This must end,” he added.
The DFP’s policy says that Bengali daily newspapers with a circulation of 141,000 or more receive a rate of Tk 900 per column-inch for government ads.
Newspapers with lower circulation are paid a reduced rate for such ads.
Despite the internet age, most of the advertising revenue in the country still goes to television channels, with print media receiving the bulk of the remaining funds.
Online newspapers are receiving even less, with government ads almost entirely bypassing them.
According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, or BTRC, the number of internet users in Bangladesh is now close to 140 million, which is higher than the total population of Japan and twice that of the United Kingdom.
This highlights the vast potential for reaching a large audience through online newspapers.
Khalidi said, “The media, too, requires better understanding and regulation. Television licences, for example, have long been distributed based on political favouritism rather than merit. The formula has failed spectacularly.”
He continued, “Objective, independent media is essential—not just for holding power to account, but also for providing constructive feedback to those in leadership. Without it, poor decisions and flawed perceptions are inevitable.”
However, highlighting that the problem exists both within and outside the media, the editor-in-chief shared his own experience.
He said, “In 2018, we launched the Editors Guild, Bangladesh to try to raise the dignity of the editorial institution and promote journalistic integrity. Unfortunately, our efforts were undermined by interference from those unwilling to see a free and ethical media flourish.”
“Halfway through my two-year term as President, it was abruptly ended by a coup of sorts, allegedly orchestrated by the then-head of DGFI at the behest of the top political leadership. At least two editors, who were privy to conversations about this, shared with me the story behind the story,” he added.
An influential businessman faced issues due to news reports published a decade ago regarding an old case. About three years ago, he began pressuring in multiple ways to have those reports removed. When his unreasonable demands were not met, he initiated defamation cases against senior editors of bdnews24.com in multiple districts, although none of them ultimately held up.
Regarding such unjust pressure, the editor-in-chief said: Our principles are clear: while the right to be forgotten is valid, historical records should not be erased. As journalists, we write the first draft of history, and our archives must remain intact.”
He added, “Pressure to delete content—from legal notices to backdoor offers—has been immense. We have resisted, even at great cost, because we believe in the integrity of our reporting.”
“Despite the challenges, we have persevered. In 2007-08, we were breaking new ground every day. Until a few years ago, we had an audience larger than all other news publishers combined. Though financial struggles have since slowed us down, our commitment to excellence remains steadfast,” he concluded.
