Staff reporter:
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman today said the people will not allow pro-fascism and autocracy forces to return to politics or engage in terrorism in the country.
“Those attempting to bring a death-row convict back to Bangladesh through bomb attacks and intimidation have yet to understand the people of this country. The people won’t allow pro-fascism and autocracy forces to return to politics or engage in terrorism in the country,” he said.
Asaduzzaman was speaking as the chief guest at a special general meeting of the Dhaka-based Jhenaidah Journalists’ Forum at the Jatiya Press Club here.
Noting that many individuals involved in bomb attacks and terrorist activities have already been arrested, he said the government has obtained information and evidence regarding who is involved in these activities and how they are being carried out.
The people of the country are also witnessing who has chosen the path of terrorism, he said.
Highlighting the responsibilities of journalism and the role of the mass media, the minister said media has earned a place of public trust.
Mentioning that when people face harassment and fail to obtain justice, they turn to the media, he urged journalists to maintain this position of trust.
The minister also urged the professional journalists to speak out against unethical journalism and yellow journalism.
“Journalists must play a responsible role in this regard for the sake of their own honour, dignity and the interests of future generations. The government will extend its cooperation whenever necessary,” he said.
“Journalists must use their pens in support of truth and justice and against injustice, drugs and corruption,” he said.
Referring to the fact that there had been no incidents of extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearances in the country over the past nearly nine months, the minister said the government was also trying to move away from the practice of police filing false cases.
Urging the media to highlight the government’s positive initiatives aimed at ensuring people’s rights, he said it was not possible to change everything overnight.
However, the government wanted to move forward on the right path based on accurate information, he said.
Prime Minister’s assistant (political) Md Rashed Khan attended the programme as a special guest with Jhenaidah Journalists’ Forum, Dhaka president Mehedi Hasan Palash in the chair.
Forum’s general secretary Shahnaz Begum Polly moderated the programme while senior journalist Khairul Alam Bokul also addressed the meeting.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal joint secretary Raju Ahmed, forum’s senior vice-president and Daily Kalbela Head of News at Md. Kabir Hossain, senior journalist ATN News executive director Mosharraf Hossain, joint general secretary Md Ziaur Rahman, treasurer Masum Billah, office secretary Rubel Parvez were present.
