DHAKA, Feb 15, 2024 (BSS) – State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today said that the government agrees to the demand placed by journalists to determine qualification for journalism.
 
“According to the proposal of journalists, there is a need to have something (policy) to determine the qualification for journalism,” he said.
 
The state minister said this taking part in a panel discussion at a workshop titled ‘Role of mass media in building Smart Bangladesh’ at BCS Administration Academy in the city’s Shahbagh, said an official release.
 
The Public Administration Ministry in association with BCS Administration Academy organized the workshop for Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum members.
 
Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain, Dhaka University (DU) former Vice-Chancellor and eminent educationist Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, Senior Secretary of Public Administration Ministry Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury and Senior Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Ministry Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker took in the panel discussion.
 
Arafat said if the government takes an initiative to determine the qualification for journalists, it would be viewed as an attempt to control journalism. So, the professional journalists should be vocal to this end, he added.
 
“The government agrees to your (journalists) demand for determining requirement for journalism. The government has no issue here. We will resolve the matter,” the state minister said.
 
As non-professional people come to journalism, Arafat said, all professional journalists demanded to determine a definition of journalists, introduce examination system for them and prepare a list of journalists.
 
Battle of reliable information against disinformation is a must, which is going on, he said, adding, journalists have an opportunity to play a role in preventing disinformation by receiving training.
 
Speaking about the Cyber Security Act (CSA), the state minister said, “Not only CSA, we all should take stance in unison against the misuse of any law”.
 
The government does not want innocent people to suffer because of misuse of any law, Arafat said.