The Bangladesh Press Council is preparing a roadmap to create a database for the protection of journalists and media outlets in the country, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday.

“The new law we have drafted to strengthen the Press Council has already been sent to the Cabinet,” he told reporters after receiving the council's annual report of 2020 from the chairman of the Press Council at the secretariat.

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If passed by the parliament after its presentation in the cabinet, the power of the press council will increase, he said.

“When someone commits misdeeds in disguise of a journalist, it often affects the entire journalist community,” he said.

“In order to protect the journalist community from this, I requested the Press Council to create a database of journalists and news media by formulating a policy in consultation with the stakeholders.”

“I think it will bring order, it will reduce misinformation.”

The minister further hoped that true journalists and the media will get protection through the formation of this database.

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The minister also thanked the Press Council for training the journalists and for contributing to the betterment of journalism as well as for initiating the work of compiling the list of journalists on the basis of a policy as directed.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the Bangladesh Press Council. As a judicial board, the body was set up to deal with disputes between readers and newspapers, Hasan Mahmud added.