Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Shafiqul  Alam said, the United Nations will be requested to assist in preparing a comprehensive report evaluating the role of journalists during the 15-year tenure of the Sheikh Hasina government.

 

 He said, the UN will be asked to form a panel of experts to investigate and publish a detailed report on how journalism was conducted during major events such as the three national elections in the past 15 years, the execution verdicts by the ICT, the Maulana Sayedee case verdict and the resulting casualties, and the Shapla Chattar tragedy.”

He made these remarks as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Post-July Uprising Bangladesh: Challenges for the Media,” held Friday morning (May 2) at the Chattogram Press Club’s July Revolution Memorial Hall.

 The event was organized by the Chattogram Press Club and Chattogram Metropolitan Union of Journalists (CMUJ), and was presided over by the club’s member secretary Zahidul Karim Kochi. Special guests included Acting President of BFUJ Obaidur Rahman Shaheen and General Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury. The concept paper was presented by Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Mozumder.Shafiqur Alam said, “The UN has published an excellent report on the July massacre, where the roles of Awami League leaders and ministers are documented. A similar report should be created evaluating journalism over the past 15 years, and we will write to the UN for support. Let’s see what they say.”During the discussion, repeated references were made to allegations that certain journalists in Chattogram handed over protesting students to the police during the July movement. Terming the allegation as serious, the Press Secretary said, “This incident should be investigated. The journalist union and press club should form an expert committee comprising a judge and a retired police officer to investigate this. It should have been done long ago. Those responsible must be brought under the law.”He claimed that the public now enjoys more freedom of expression than ever before. “People are openly writing, criticizing, even using abusive language—and no one is stopping them. Some say we are being too soft on the allies of autocrats. But we cannot act outside the law. We haven’t broken any pens or locked any presses. If any media outlet fires a journalist, protest in front of their office. After the formation of the interim government, the Chief Adviser met with editors and told them to write freely.”He accused foreign—especially Indian—media and the Awami League of spreading misinformation to destabilize the country. “People now watch videos more than they read news. Taking advantage of that, falsehoods are being spread. Awami League propagandists shared a video claiming Jamaat activists were slaughtering a boy, but it turned out to be a drug-related incident from Latin America. Still, people believed it. Misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda are spreading continuously,” he warned.“These efforts are creating divisions among communities and political groups. With elections ahead, our media must be prepared to tackle these challenges.”Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Mozumder said that the Digital Security Act previously created obstacles for journalism. “It was originally intended to protect people, but the p fascism. We urge the administration to treat this seriously.”

BFUJ General Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury harshly criticized Sheikh Hasina’s return from India, calling the press conference held at that time “the worst example of sycophantic journalism in history.” He added, “Instead of asking questions about the agreements signed, we heard people say Hasina is an international leader and deserves the Nobel Prize. This is the worst form of partisan journalism. There are 32 laws suppressing journalism, but none to protect journalists.”The discussion was moderated by CMUJ Secretary Saleh Noman and Chattogram Press Club interim committee member Golam Mawla Murad. Others who spoke at the event include Chattogram Metropolitan Union of Journalists President Mohammad Shahnawaz, Commonwealth Journalists Association (Bangladesh Chapter) Secretary and People’s View Editor Osman Gani Mansur, Premier University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nasrul Qadir, Bangladesh United Professionals Council (Chattogram) Secretary Dr. Khurshid Jamil, Association of Engineers Bangladesh (Chattogram) President Engineer Jane Alam Selim, Chattogram District Bar Association President Abdus Sattar, University of Chattogram Associate Professor of Journalism Shahidul Haque, BSS Special Correspondent Miah Mohammad Arif, Bangladesh Democratic Student Council Joint Secretary Riziaur Rahman, National Citizens Committee Member Neela Afroze, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Representative Rizwaan Siddique, and Chowdhury Siam Elahi, among others.