President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Khandaker Mahbub Hossain on Thursday alleged that the new broadcast policy is an ‘evil attempt’ by the government to muzzle the mass media.”We think the government has framed the new broadcast policy to hide its failures, misrule, misdeeds, corruption and terrorist acts. It’s also an evil effort to gag all types of mass media, including newspapers,” he said.Mahbub, also an adviser to the BNP chairperson, came up with the allegation at a press conference arranged by the SCBA at its auditorium.He said, the government has formulated the policy with its heinous motive to re-establish one-party Baksal rule as it did in the past snatching people’s basic and constitutional rights of freedom of speech and expression. “TV talk-shows will be controlled with this policy.”Mahbub also alleged that the current regime is trying to resort to such a policy as it is illegally staying in power with the support of law enforcers after being isolated from people.The SCBA president said the country’s democracy-loving people will not accept the policy as it is contrary to press freedom. He also expressed SCBA’s solidarity with media activists who have launched a movement against the government’s ‘evil design’ in the interest of people.SCBA secretary Khandaker Mahbub Uddin Khokan and its other leaders were present.
