Free speech key to democratic transition

Any political party that seeks democratic transformation must ensure an environment for free speech, editors and senior journalists said yesterday.

At a greetings exchange programme with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman at a city hotel, they said journalists had endured torture and repression over the past 15 years under a fascist regime, which severely dented press freedom and made the working environment unsafe.

They added that the July uprising had created a new opportunity to safeguard freedom of speech in the country.

At the beginning of the event, Tarique greeted the editors and journalists.

In his speech, New Age Editor and Editors’ Council President Nurul Kabir said that if Bangladesh is to achieve a democratic transformation of its future society and state, there must be an environment conducive to democratic journalism.

“In the past, many journalists faced lawsuits, attacks, and various kinds of injustice, and there was no proper environment to fight those cases legally.”

Many who supported the previous regime now face cases and are in jail. They should be punished if found guilty, but that must be done through a proper judicial process. The government said it would look into the matter, but it has not kept its promise to ensure their legal rights, Kabir added.

“If we cannot stop the repetition of the injustices that occurred under the previous government, we will not be able to set an example of fair treatment of newspaper and media workers.”

Shafik Rehman, founder editor of Jaijai Din, proposed introducing a pension system for journalists. He also suggested forming a committee to investigate the money theft from Bangladesh Bank and reorganising the law enforcement agencies.

“Recently, a survey showed that 70 percent of people in the country are interested in voting for the BNP. There is truth in this claim. But this interest must be turned into votes, and only then can the party come to power.”

Manabzamin Editor-in-Chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury said the media had become largely free after August 5, 2024, when the Awami League regime was ousted.

“But it is still very restricted. I say ‘restricted’ because we cannot be as courageous as we want to be due to mob violence.” 

He added that it is deeply disturbing when newspaper offices are set on fire.

Observing that Tarique faces stiff challenges ahead, Matiur said, “If attempts are made to face these challenges only from within one party, past mistakes will be repeated. We may again reach a situation from where it will be very difficult to return.”

Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman said that late journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi, a cancer patient, was pushed towards death without medical treatment after being kept in jail in a fabricated case. The mainstream media remained silent at the time.

He also said that some activists of the now banned Chhatra League handed veteran editor Asaduzzaman Asad over to the police for arrest. “Asad had to remain in jail for years, and even when his wife died, he could not be by her side…. There was no strong protest from the media then either.”

Mahmudur added that 80-year-old Shafik Rehman was also forced to live in inhumane prison conditions. “He had to sleep on the floor during winter and suffer hardships …. Even during this period of fascism, very few people stood by him.”

Referring to journalist Kanak Sarwar, he said that for broadcasting a speech of  Tarique Rahman, Kanak had to remain in jail for nearly a year. “Kanak’s sister was also kept in jail for months in a false drug case, yet the media’s conscience did not awaken.”

Jugantor Editor Abdul Hye Sikder said, “The interim government did not work for the rehabilitation of unemployed journalists. How will freedom of expression come? When I do not eat and my family does not eat, you must stand by us.”

He said that in tomorrow’s Bangladesh, the media must be treated as a friend. “The media is not an enemy. The media tries to speak the truth.”

Daily Inqilab Editor AMM Bahauddin said that journalism over the past 18 years had been extremely difficult, adding that his newspaper was also shut down at one point.

Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said, “We want democracy, we want independent journalism, and we want good governance.”

He added that political parties do not speak much about the issue of climate change. “Bangladesh is one of the frontline countries, and we are already seeing the impact of climate change in the coastal areas. My request is that climate change be given priority.

“We are one of the richest countries in the world when it comes to water resources, but we are polluting all our rivers…. It is quite incredible how we are moving towards river pollution and doing nothing about it. Another issue is our groundwater [decline]. We have to address this.”

This was the first time Tarique Rahman met with journalists and editors since his return to Dhaka on December 25 following a 17-year exile.

At the event, BNP Media Cell Convener Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel said the party’s 31-point agenda, including 12 key pledges for journalists, would be implemented if the BNP is voted to power.

According to the party, a “Media Commission” will be set up comprising a former Supreme Court judge, media professionals, and experienced and credible figures, to ensure complete freedom of the press and comprehensive reforms in the media sector.

Among the two dozen editors and journalists present at the programme, Kaler Kantho Editor Hasan Hafiz, bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Daily Naya Diganta Editor Salahuddin Muhammad Babar, Ekushey Television CEO Abdus Salam, and Dhaka Stream Editor Iftekhar Mahmud, also spoke.