DHAKA, Dec 02, 2019 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today
said the government has decided to start registering the online news portal
from next week, adding steps would be taken against those which will not get
registration.
“The Home Ministry has scrutinized the documents of several hundred online
news portals . . . The government will give registration to online news
portals from next week after examining the related papers,” he told a press
briefing at his Secretariat office here.
The minister said a total of 3,595 news portals have applied for the
registration. “The all applications were sent to the home ministry for
investigation. Later, we held a meeting with the home, telecom and ICT
ministries and urged the home ministry for expediting investigation,” he
added.
Hasan said online media will be introduced through maintaining proper
process in future. None can launch any online news portal without
registration, he added.
He also said discipline has been established in the electronic media
sector following the government’s different steps. The government will take
actions if there is any irregularity in the sector, he added.
The minister said some television channels are airing foreign TV serials
dubbed in Bangla which is not acceptable.
“So, the ministry has issued an order for TV channels to take the
government’s approval to broadcast the dubbed serials. Many TV channels have
already taken approval to run those serials. A preview committee has been
formed to oversee the matter,” he added.
He said an additional secretary remained at the helm of the committee where
eminent cultural personalities Mamunur Rashid and Begum Sara Zaker, director
general or representative of Bangladesh Television, director general of
National Institute of Mass Communication, representatives of Association of
Television Channel Owners and Directors’ Guilt and Obhinay Shilpi Sangha are
the members of the committee.
Hasan said airing Bangladeshi advertisements in foreign channels has been
stopped. “Besides, the cable operators are maintaining the serial of the
Bangladeshi TV channels as per their on air date. After putting Bangladeshi
channels, the cable operators are keeping the foreign channels on the list,”
he added.
“We have already taken initiatives for the betterment of mass media . . .
these initiatives put media in order mostly,” he said.
The minister went on saying that the government gave license to the mobile
companies to run mobile network only.
“But they are now creating video contents along with advertisements for the
social media which is not acceptable. The government didn’t give any license
to make video contents along with advertisement,” he said.
“We have already sent a letter to the telecommunication ministry to stop
this. We are determined to bringing discipline in this sector and legal
actions will be taken in this regard,” he added.
Replying to a question, Hasan said many newspapers, online news portals and
television channels are showing video contents through their respective
online media which is also not acceptable. “We are working to bring those
media in order,” he added.
Answering another query about the releasing of Begum Khaleda Zia, the
minister reiterated that the release of BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia is
possible only through the judicial process.
“The BNP chief is in prison being convicted in a graft case and only the
court can release her,” he said, adding, “BNP always gives threat that they
will wage a movement to release Begum Khaleda Zia . . . but her release is
the matter of the court and there is no other way.”