Secretary General of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and a prominent jounalist leader Kader Gani Chowdhury has said that the defeat of the media signifies the defeat of both the people and the state.
Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Journalists’ Union in Cox’s Bazar on Friday, he underscored the importance of protecting media freedom, stating, “The defeat of the media is the defeat of the people, and the defeat of the people means the defeat of the state. Therefore, the media must not be allowed to be defeated.”
Kader highlighted that honesty and courage to tell the truth are fundamental to journalism. “Objective journalism advances society and fosters democracy. Therefore, journalism must be conducted with honesty and dedication. Without honesty, there is no journalism,” he remarked, adding that only by preserving journalistic integrity can society and democracy truly benefit.
He expressed his concerns over biased and commercial journalism, calling for newspapers to genuinely represent the voice of the people. “There should be no excuse for objective news publication—no bias, no partisan journalism, and no commercial motives; instead, newspapers should reflect the voice of the common people,” he asserted, adding that no matter the “unwritten government rules or obstacles from the powerful, we must speak for the common people.”
The senior journalist condemned submissive journalism, stating, “People despise submissive journalism with all their hearts and hate its surrender. Therefore, editors and journalists must take a fearless, selfless stand against injustice and oppression.”
His statements were reinforced by Dhaka Journalists' Union President Md. Shahidul Islam, who spoke as a special guest, noting that the nation’s victory is yet to be fully realised. He stressed that despite partial successes, conspiracies against the country persist. “If our words and actions do not align, our relationships will deteriorate. Now is not the time. If we cannot remain united, we will not retain victory,” Islam stated.
Further discussing challenges, Kader explained that genuine journalists live in hardship, holding firm to their ideals even in poverty. “That is why journalists are called the conscience of the nation,” he said, lamenting that some corrupt individuals, motivated by greed or influence, have tarnished the field of journalism.
The meeting, held at the Cox’s Bazar Press Club, concluded with the formation of an Election Commission to conduct the triennial election of JU Cox’s Bazar.