Emphasising the need for drawing a line between free speech and disinformation, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has said that innovative solutions are needed to spread truth in the society.
"Incorrect information can led people and the society in the wrong way. On the other hand, right and objective information can play a role in creating constructive opinion," Shirin said, while addressing the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Vienna on Tuesday night.
However, she advocated the need for stricter laws if the existing ones are inadequate to curb the menace of fake news.
"In addition to ensuring fundamental freedom of speech and expression, more effective and innovative solutions need to be explored to spread truth. If the desired results are not achieved through the existing laws, more powerful laws need to be enacted," the Speaker added.
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Urging people to shun conventional mentality, she said: "It is needed to change the conventional ideas, mentality and thinking. In addition to spreading the need for education among the older generation, the new generation should be abreast with the latest developments.
"Strong family structures as well as educational institutions are essential for proper education and the media can play an important role in this regard."
Awami League MPs Bodruddoza Md Farhad Hossain (Brahmanbaria-1), Rumana Ali (Women Seat-14) and Gloria Jharna Sarker (Women Seat-30) were also present at the conference on 'Countering Misinformation and Hate Speech Requires Stronger Regulations'.
Dr Shirin left Dhaka for Vienna, the capital of Austria, to attend the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament on September 5.
Also read: Dr Shirin leaves for Vienna to join Speakers’ Conference
She will also join the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament (13SWSP) and the First Global Parliamentary Meeting on Counter-Terrorism.
The 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, the world's largest gathering of the highest level of parliamentary representation, is being jointly organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Austrian Parliament on September 7 and 8.
This conference will be followed by the 13SWSP and the Parliamentary Meeting on Counter-Terrorism on September 9.
Over 110 Parliament Speakers from around the world arrived in Vienna for the first in-person large-scale inter-parliamentary meeting since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.