Draft laws against free journalism have to be postponed right away: Editors' Council

Along with abolishing the Digital Security Act (DSA), the Editors' Council on Tuesday demanded that all the draft laws against independent and free journalism will have to be postponed right away.

The Editors' Council president and the Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam came up with this demand at a meeting to mark World Press Freedom Day at National Press Club in Dhaka.

The demands of Editors' Council include:

1. The draft laws against the independent and free journalism will have to be postponed right away.

2.  The Digital Security Act (DSA) will have to be abolished. If the government faces any obstacles to scrap DSA, then they will have to incorporate such a section in the act which will read: this law will not apply to media, independent journalism and the freedom of press.

All journalists arrested in cases under this act will have to be released and those cases that have been filed as of now for doing journalism will have to be withdrawn.

3. The government will have to take initiative to eradicate the atmosphere of fear.

4. A law will have to be enacted to protect the journalists.  

Former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu addressed the meeting as a guest of honour.