Newsmen should unite to face professional hazards

Eminent journalist Mark Tully, 3rd from right, speaks at a seminar at the Liberation War Museum in the city yesterday. On his right are Dr Sarwar Ali, Ataus Samad and Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury while on his left are Nadim Qadir and Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul. PHOTO: STAR

He also called on the newsmen to gather under the same umbrella to face professional hazards resulting from commercialisation and politicisation of the media.

The veteran journalist was speaking at a seminar styled 'Journalism in the hour of crisis' organised by the Liberation War Museum on its premises in the city.

Referring to some media houses being barred by political parties from covering news at the Hawa Bhaban, Sudha Sadan or Awami League office, he said journalists should be united when they face such obstacles and stop giving coverage to those who ban journalists. The parties would surely then start 'begging' for exposure, he added.

Mark Tully, who covered the War of Liberation in 1971 as a BBC journalist, also shared his experience gathered during that time.

Speaking at the seminar, Ataus Samad, advisory editor of the daily Amar Desh, called for a bold approach from journalists. "Try to ask rigorous questions to dig out the fact. The electronic media people must also remember that the camera cannot tell everything."

He also called on journalists working in the print media to provide more details in their stories.

Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said journalists must be more efficient to carry out their duties properly.

"News sometimes gets a different and misleading shape because of politicisation and commercialisation. Efficiency and greater responsibility on the part of journalists can help avert such crises," he said.

Journalist Nadim Qadir called on newsmen to come out of the grip of partisan attitude. "First of all we should try to forget the perceived ideas while writing news on sensitive political issues."

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director and chief editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, underscored the need to make the state-run media autonomous.

Both the major political parties say before the election that the state-run media will be made autonomous, but after assuming the office, they start using it as a tool to serve their purposes, he said.

Dr Sarwar Ali, trustee and member secretary of the Liberation War Museum, moderated the programme attended by reporters from both the print and electronic media.