City Desk :
Small video clips can be uploaded with online reports but news bulletin or talk-show cannot be broadcast as per law, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday.
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said this while replying to journalists at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
The minister said an initiative has been taken to create a database of working journalists. Upon completion of the database, it will be understood who are in the list of journalists or not, he said.
Earlier, the minister joined a discussion with Bangladesh Editors Forum, BSS reports.
Forum Media adviser to Sheikh Hasina, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said media will have to go ahead keeping intact the principles and ethics of journalism.
Convener of the forum Rafiqul Islam Ratan said according to Printing Presses and Publications Act, there is no scope for online version of newspapers or news portals to broadcast talk-show or news bulletin.
The Forum leaders handed over a 10-point demand written in a letter to the minister.
Hasan thanked the Forum for agreeing with Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) that it is not the work of online news portals or online versions of newspapers to broadcast talk-show or news bulletin as per law.
“It will help us talk with others and the matter could be presented easily. Small video clips can be uploaded with online reports but news bulletin or talk-show cannot be broadcast as per law,” he said.
The minister said Press Council has already taken initiative over the issues placed by the Editors Forum.
Hasan Mahmud said the people get annoyed with BNP for different reasons as the party doesn’t do politics over public issues.
“BNP doesn’t speak for people. They only talk about Khaleda Zia’s health condition and Tarique Rahman’s punishment. They hurl petrol bombs on people. As a politician I get hurt witnessing such acts of BNP,” he said.
About BNP’s call for massive movement after Eid, he said, “We have been hearing that BNP will wage movement after Eid, winter, examination and monsoon for the last 13 years. At first it should be examined whether the Eid is upcoming Eid or anything else.”
