President Mohammed Shahabuddin  on Thursday called upon the media to create public awareness against anarchy and about the country’s Liberation War and ongoing development.

He said this when a delegation of the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban in the afternoon.

ATCO president Managing Director of Maasranga TV and freedom fighter Anjan Chowdhury and its Senior Vice-President DBC Chairman and the Daily Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury led the delegation.

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The president said all the achievements will go in vain unless everyone is imbibed with the spirit of the Liberation War.

"A lot of changes have taken place over the last five decades. During this time, anti-state vested quarters have made several attempts to distort the history of our Liberation War and Independence," Shahabuddin, also a freedom fighter, mentioned. 

Referring to the presence of mass-media at grassroots, the president said the government is providing all-out cooperation for the media to work independently.

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He also requested the ATCO leaders to be more active so that the anti-Liberation War circle could not mislead people by distorting the country’s history.

He said, "The media must do its objective criticism of the government . . .  At the same time, the various steps and activities undertaken by the government for the development of the country and its people should be highlighted in a large scale."

President Shahabuddin urged the media people to work for the development of national culture, saying that country’s TV channels should play a responsible role to prevent any sort of distortion of the history in any form of disguises.

Shahabuddin said, “Next 12th general election is very near . . . This is an acid test for those who believe in the development of democracy and the Liberation War. So the media should remain careful about it."

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The president said the media should play an effective role in determining who is essential for the country and its people and what kind of public representatives are necessary for the country through awareness campaign in this regard.

During the meeting, the delegation apprised the president of the overall activities of the ATCO, president press secretary Md Joynal Abedin told UNB after the meeting.

Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Advisor Salman F Rahman and secretaries concerned to the President were also present.

Other delegation members were: ATCO vice-president & director of Independent TV Ahmed Shayan Fazlur Rahman, ATCO directors - deputy Managing director and chief editor of Boishaki TV Tipu Alam Milon, chairman of Bangla Vision Abdul Haque, RTV Managing Director Humayun Kabir Bablu, Managing Director of Somoy TV Ahmed Jobaer, Director of Nagorik TV Navidul Huq, Vice-Chairman of ETV Abdus Samad, Director of Channel i Zahiruddin Mahmood Mamun and Director NTV Md Ashfaque Uddin Ahamed.