'Govt to stop online portals spreading false news against the country'

Information and broadcasting minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday told parliament that action will be taken to stop any newspaper or online portal if there is a complaint of spreading news that goes against the country or spreading false and fabricated news, reports UNB.

The minister made this comment in response to a question from Awami League lawmaker Ahasanul Islam Titu (Tangail-6).

The minister said that the current government is in no way interfering with freedom of the press.

"The current media- and journalist-friendly government is very sincere in protecting the freedom of newspapers and journalists. This government is not interfering in any way with the free dissemination of news in the print media," he said.

The information minister said this while replying to a tabled question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Sayed Abu Hossain Babla (Dhaka-4) during the question-answer session on Thursday.

The question-answer session was tabled at the outset of Thursday's sitting, which was started with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Hasan Mahmud said the government has continued taking various initiatives to improve the quality of this sector.

Answering to a question from AL lawmaker Nazrul Islam Babu (Narayanganj-2), Hasan Mahmud said the current government has given permission to 48 television channels, 14 IPTV and 367 news portals in the private sector.