UNB, Dhaka :
Shrugging off the criticisms, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Monday claimed that the National Broadcast Policy is designed neither to throttle the media nor to establish the Information Ministry’s control and authority over the news industry.
“Instead, the National Broadcast Policy-2014 has been framed to ensure the freedom of the media and reduce government’s control over it,” he told a press conference at the PID conference room.
The press conference was arranged hot on the heels of widespread
criticisms of the broadcast policy by media professionals and some political parties.
Describing the National Broadcast Policy as mere guidance, Inu said, “It’s not a law. There’s no provision of punishment in the policy either. So, the allegation of stifling the media is completely baseless and imaginary.”
He claimed that the policy is aimed at helping establish good governance and ensuring human rights through bringing transparency and accountability in the broadcast media. “Its every provision is beneficial and helpful for the media.”
The minister said, the Information Ministry will delegate a little duty it has over the media to the independent commission to be formed.
Turning to the provision that bans airing any news or programme ridiculing the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, he claimed that the provision does not deter the media from revealing the truth. “Rather, it has been incorporated to maintain the objectivity and ensure the accountability of the media to check moral degradation at the same time.”
Observing that there is no scope of confusion in this regard, the minister said if any official or employee of the forces violates the discipline, there is no bar to publishing it. “However, it’s not ethical to undermine the entire force for the misconduct of one bad element.”
