Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam today spoke at the Chattogram Press Club. Photo: BSS

CHATTOGRAM, May 2, 2025 (BSS) - Claiming that efforts are on to destabilise the country by spreading falsehood and misinformation, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam today said Bangladesh will seek support of the United Nations (UN) to prepare a transparent report on the last 15 years of journalism in Bangladesh.

"The UN has given a transparent and excellent report on the July-August mass killing. Bangladesh will soon seek the UN help to make such a report on the last 15 years of journalism in Bangladesh," he told a discussion here.

Chattogram Press Club and Chattogram Metropolitan Journalists Union (CMJU) jointly organised the discussion titled ‘Bangladesh after the July Revolution: Challenges of the Media’ at Chattogram Press Club this afternoon.

Chaired by Member Secretary of Chattogram Press Club Interim Committee Jahidul Karim Kochi, the discussion was addressed by Obaidur Rahman Shahin, acting President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Quader Gani Chowdhury, Secretary General of BFUJ as special guests.

A concept paper was presented by Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.

Speaking as the chief guest, Alam said Bangladesh will expect such a report that will depict the overall role of media in the July-August uprising.

“The United Nations will be requested to form an expert panel to probe and publish a detailed report on the role of journalists in all major incidents, including the three elections held in the last 15 years, the convictions by the ICT, the loss of lives in incidents across the country after the verdict in the Maulana Sayeedi case, Shapla Chattar tragedy, and all the major incidents,” he said.

The issue of journalists handing over protesters to police in Chattogram during the July uprising came up repeatedly in the meeting.

The press secretary said this incident should be investigated while the Journalists Union and the Press Club should form an expert-level probe body involving a judge and a retired police officer to investigate the issue.

"This should have been probed long ago. Those who did this should be brought to justice. You would have seen what those journalists would have done to the students if the movement had failed," he added.

The press secretary said now country's people are enjoying the most freedom of expression comparing to any time in the past.

“Now people are writing openly and criticising the government,” he said adding “Many people are saying us that we are showing softness to the cohorts of the dictator. But we cannot do anything beyond law," he said.

After the formation of the interim government, he said, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus held a meeting with editors and asked them to write freely, Alam recalled.

Media must play a responsible role as the election is approaching, he said adding that "Every newspaper needs to have a fact-checking cell and this is a post-revolutionary challenge."

About Indian media, the press secretary said Indian media and Awami League men are spreading misinformation together.

He said: "They are spending millions and billions of dollars. They will spread more false information ahead of the elections."

While presenting the concept paper at the discussion, Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the Council of Advisers is likely to approve the new Cyber ??Security Act in its meeting next week.

He said, Digital Security Act was a major obstacle in the field of journalism. After being criticised nationally and internationally, it was replaced with the 'Cyber ??Security Act' without any fundamental change in the previous law.

Azad said the interim government has taken a policy decision to repeal this law and all lawsuits filed against the journalists under the law were cancelled and no new case was filed.

He said, "We hope that the new Cyber ??Security Act will be approved in the meeting of Council of Advisers next week."
 
The discussion was also addressed by President of Chattogram Metropolitan Journalists Union Mohammad Shah Nawaz, Vice Chancellor of Premier University Professor Nasrul Kadir, Associate Professor of CU Communication and Journalism Department Shahidullah Lipon, President of Chattogram District Bar Association Advocate Abdus Sattar, Secretary General of Commonwealth Journalists Association Osman Gani Mansur and Member Secretary of Bangladesh Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad Chattogram Dr Khurshid Jamil, Press Club member Mia Mohammad Arif, Joint Chief Organiser of Bangladesh Democratic Students' Union Rizaur Rahman, member of National Citizens Committee Neela Afroz and coordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Siam Elahi and Ridwan Siddiqui, among others.