Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman- File Photo

DHAKA, April 25, 2026 (BSS) - Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has said freedom of the press is essential for the protection and development of democracy.
 
"Democracy and media freedom are deeply interlinked and therefore people of the country expect a free, fearless and responsible media," he said while visiting the office of The Daily Star at Karwan Bazar in the capital on the occasion of its 35th founding anniversary.

The law minister also expressed deep concern after visiting the site of the attack, vandalism and arson that took place at the office on the night of December 18 last year.
 
He said that to sustain democracy, media freedom must be ensured. "Incidents of attacks on the media in the past are unacceptable in any way. We do not want such incidents to happen in the future," he added.
 
The minister further said that the government aims to create an environment where the media can work independently without fear, intimidation, or obstacles.
 
"We want Bangladesh to move forward on the path of media freedom, and all kinds of barriers in this regard must be removed," Md Asaduzzaman added.
 
Referring to the incident at The Daily Star office, he said such events are extremely painful and unacceptable. "We do not want a repetition of such unfortunate incidents in the future. These memories are like nightmares, and we are working to overcome that nightmare," he said.