Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan addressed a view-sharing meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity as the chief guest on Sunday. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, March 15, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan today said the government is preparing a time-befitting roadmap to ensure professional dignity, proper pay structure and overall security of journalists.

Seeking proposals and cooperation from journalist leaders to address professional problems, the minister said, "Through an effective roadmap, we want to untie the mountain of problems faced by journalists."

The minister was addressing a views-exchange meeting held after an iftar and doa mahfil organised by the Crime Reporters' Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital this evening.

Referring to the issues of the wage board and professional risks faced by journalists, the minister said there are certain legal limitations under the "Rules of Business" regarding the implementation of the wage board and ensuring journalists' security.

"In many cases, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting does not have the authority to enforce laws directly. We are identifying these limitations. If necessary, the 'Rules of Business' will be reviewed and the ministry will be reformed in a timely manner to ensure a permanent solution to these problems," he added.

Speaking about digital rights, Swapan said that in the present era digital services have become part of people's fundamental rights alongside food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education. "As our government considers this a serious issue, we are trying to understand the problem deeply before taking steps," he said.

About the modernization of Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar, the minister said some people still consider BTV as merely a propaganda tool, while there are also questions about whether people still listen to radio.

"Yet community radio is very powerful worldwide. Therefore, digital empowerment is necessary to ensure information reaches everyone at every moment," he said.

Highlighting the need to maintain professionalism in journalism, the minister said complaints are coming from genuine journalists that some individuals are misusing the identity of journalists for unethical activities.

"We will soon hold discussions with media owners and journalist unions to remove such irregularities and ensure the rights of genuine journalists," he added.

He also said that to ensure the free flow of information, only what cannot be broadcast should be clearly specified, while everything else should remain open for publication or broadcast.

CRAB President Mirza Mehdi Tamal chaired the programme while its General Secretary M M Badsha conducted it.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Obaidur Rahman Shaheen, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) President Abu Saleh Akon, General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohail and Managing Director of the Journalist Welfare Trust Bachir Jamal also spoke at the event.

Senior journalists from different media outlets and members of CRAB were present at the programme.