Azad for objective journalism
Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday said the grand alliance government believes in free flow of information.
He said this government has enacted the Right to Information Act to ensure transparency and accountability in society. This will check corruption and other irregularities, he added.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a function marking the 12th anniversary of vernacular daily Jugantar on the premises of its Motijheel office.
Now the journalists can work freely, he said and stressed the need for objectivity and accuracy in publishing reports.
The minister said the government has formed the Information Commission so that the mass media and the people in general can get the right information.
Abul Kalam Azad said publishing reports on different problems is not the only responsibility of the media. There should be proper guidelines for resolving those problems, he added.
Urging the media to project the government's development activities properly, he said the government also believes in constructive criticisms.
BNP Standing Committee Members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Rashed Khan Menon, MP, veteran journalist and columnist ABM Musa, former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AK Azad Chowdhury, former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury, educationist Dr Farashuddin Ahmed, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed, woman leader Shirin Aktar, eminent film maker Chashi Nazrul Islam, singer Fakir Alamgir, journalists Syed Abul Maksud and Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, popular television personality Hanif Sanket and other eminent personalities were present at the function.
Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul and Jugantar Editor Advocate Salma Islam also addressed the function, moderated by Jugantar Executive Editor Saiful Alam.
The information minister formally inaugurated the 12th publication anniversary function of the Jugantar by cutting a cake.
He thanked the Bengali daily on behalf of the government and the Awami League for its contributions in last 11 years. The paper will continue working for the country and the people in future too, he hoped.
Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain congratulated the Jugantar family and hoped the paper will keep on its principal of objective and fair journalism.
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