'Space for country’s media shrinking'

The country’s media is facing multifarious challenges as space for media and civil society is shrinking as the laws are being used purposefully due to chance to misuse these.

The state organisations that are supposed to ensure accountability were debilitated due to politicisation.

Speakers at a discussion meeting on ‘World Press Freedom Day’ made these observations. State minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, however, expressed dissent with these observations.

World Press Freedom Day would be observed throughout the world on 3 May. UNESCO Dhaka office, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and Article 19 organised the event marking the day at TIB office in city’s Dhanmondi.

Mohammad Ali Arafat said, “The country’s media is not only free, but also completely open. The government does not have any intention to muzzle the freedom of press or put any surveillance. Alongside the freedom of press, the media’s accountability should also be ensured so that none can spread misinformation by misusing press freedom.”

TIB’s executive director Iftekharuzzaman alleged that land, forest and natural resources are being plundered voraciously in the name of development. A section of those who are supposed to ensure accountability gets benefitted from this malpractice. A total of 43 journalists faced repression and attack in 2022-23 for writing about the environment. Environmentalists were attacked too.

Iftekharuzzaman said the space for media and civil society is being shrunk.

Mohammad Ali Arafat, however, said misinformation is spread and democratic process gets hindered if press freedom is misused.

He also said the government welcomes criticism that is factual.

Susan Vize, head of UNESCO office in Dhaka, Swedish ambassador in Dhaka Alexandra Berg von Linde, Masranga TV’s chief news editor Rezwanul Haque, The Business Standard’s bureau chief of Chattogram, Shamsuddin Elias and freelance journalist Usrat Fahmida, among others spoke at the event.

Article 19’s regional director Sheikh Monjur-E-Alam moderated the programme.