UNB, Dhaka :Urging the journalists to maintain neutrality in their works, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said her government does not want to control the media, but likes to run it with a policy.”We don’t want to control the media, rather it is better to run the media under a policy…we want neutrality from you,” she said.The Prime Minister made the call while speaking at an iftar party organised by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists’ (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists’ (DUJ) on the Jatiya Press Club premises.Talking about misreporting by a section of media, Sheikh Hasina said such reporting pollutes society. “You need to keep in mind that your reporting doesn’t pollute society in anyway,” she said.Hasina, also the chief of then ruling Awami League, urged the journalist community to raise their voice against militancy and terrorism. Hasina said Awami League always thinks about the welfare of journalists. “But, journalists always criticize the Awami League.”In this connection, the Prime Minister said criticisms are always good as constructive criticisms open the eyes of a government, but the journalists should be careful so that their criticisms do not hamper the country’s fundamentals based on which Bangladesh achieved its independence.About the Padma Bridge construction with the country’s own resources, she said it was a challenge to her government to build it by its own funding. “By the grace of Allah, we have been able to start the construction with our own resources.”The Prime Minister also said she cannot tolerate if any one talks anything bad about Bangladesh as it earned its independence sacrificing millions of lives. “I cannot tolerate if anything disgraceful is said against Bangladesh.”While describing various development activities of the country carried out by her government in the last six years, she said had the government got cooperation from all the country could have advanced further.Citing some examples of development activities done by her government for the welfare of the journalists’ community, Sheikh Hasina said the government has changed the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and formed the Journalists’ Trust Fund providing Tk one crore in seed money.She also asked the journalists and the owners of media houses to contribute to this Trust Fund. “You donate to this Fund and the government will do its part.”Hasina said the government has formed the Broadcast Policy Commission, while strengthening of the Press Council is under consideration.About the Eight Wage Board Award, the Prime Minister said some media houses have implemented it while some others are yet to do it. “We’re thinking to declare another wage board in near future,” she said.In this connection, the Prime Minister said this time the inclusion of the electronic media in the new Wage Board is under consideration.Responding to some demands of journalist leaders, the Prime Minister said the government would extend its all-out cooperation in making the Jatiya Press Club a world-class one with ensuring modern facilities and multistoried buildings. On the housing problem of the journalists, she said the government in the future would provide flats for the journalists instead of plots. PM’s Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, BFUJ President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, DUJ President Altaf Mahmud, Jatiya Press Club President Shafiqur Rahman and BFUJ Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and Jatiya Press Club General Secretary Kamrul Islam Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.
