Mentioning that media outlets remain open during shutdown, he said 60 journalists were so far infected with coronavirus.
“I lost my friend, journalist Humayun Kabir Khokon,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while inaugurating a disinfection chamber at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Dhaka's Segunbagicha on Wednesday.
Mahmud also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Khokon and sought early recovery of those infected with coronavirus.
“I requested the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) authorities to keep a special coronavirus testing arrangement for journalists and they kept my request. I’ll also ask them to open a special booth for journalists,” he said.
"We’re also trying our best to do something for the needy journalists. We hope we can do something soon," he said.
Many developed countries spend more money in military sector than that of medical research, he said, but the whole world is now involved in a war against an invisible enemy - coronavirus, where we have to work only with masks, sanitisers and disinfectants.
“My question is, will we still be in an arms race, or will we work collectively for human society?” he asked, adding that coronavirus is a pandemic.
The minister asked reporters to serve inspirational story so that the people don’t become frustrated.