Editorial
Why put blame on the media?
What Khaleda Zia said is on TV footage and audio recording
It has been fixed in the minds of senior political party men that their leaders can say nothing wrong, they're infallible. They forget that in this age of electronic and highly receptive media, what has not been said wouldn't simply be published or shown. It is all therefore for the records. Perhaps BNP Acting Secretary General Mr. Islam ought to have checked the footage of Khaleda Zia's speech before bashing media. But perhaps that is asking for too much in our political culture!
Khaleda Zia's statement counselling the armed forces not to sit on the sidelines in the present political situation is highly irresponsible by any standards. What she meant is seemingly borne out by this statement of hers: "if there is any disorder in the country, they (military) will carry out their duties in due time. Our army is working in the United Nations' peacekeeping missions to establish peace abroad. If there is no peace in their own country, the foreigners would then say that the army is unable to maintain peace in their own country. It's time we thought about these matters". It hardly leaves anything to imagination. Little wonder that her remarks have drawn widespread protestations from prominent members of civil society and former members of the armed forces alike.
The most honourable way of dealing with something that is unpalatable to an opposition party is to give a clarification that what was unintended has come out in the media. It has to be noted in particular that the BNP acting secretary general has not given any alternative version of what Khaleda Zia had actually stated.
It is a standard practice anywhere in the world to clarify a statement and try and allay any misgivings that may have arisen out of it. Even a retraction would be in order if what was reported was not intended. It is only natural that leaders may say things in an off-guarded manner. It is also known that in such cases, they regret the inadvertent lapse. Without having gone for any of those options, Mr. Alamgir put the wholesale blame on the media.
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