State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Wednesday urged the country’s mass media to work with utmost sincerity to safeguard the interests of the country and its people.

“The country belongs to all of us so, conspiracies against the interests of this country must be dealt with staying united,” he said.

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The state minister said this while addressing the Bangladesh Press Council (BPC) Medal-2023 distribution ceremony at Tathya Bhaban Auditorium in the city’s Circuit House Road this afternoon (Wednesday).

“To build a non-communal society with liberation war spirit, in moving this society forward, in the efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the field of inclusive development, everyone, including the media, must play a collective role.,” he added.

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“The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always stands by the people working in the media with different types of incentives so they can work professionally with responsibility,” he said.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to foster professional journalism, Arafat said, “We believe that freedom of the press is the part of our Liberation War spirit."

Regarding German broadcaster Deutsche Welle’s (DW) recent documentary, he said, "You will see it was not against any individual or the government but against the country and its important institution - Bangladesh Army."

They have made the documentary to belittle our success and reputation in international peace keeping missions, the state minister added.

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“A vested quarter is spreading such kind of propaganda to tarnish the image of the Bangladesh Army and the country by using the international media,” he added.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Ministry Kazi Keramat Ali, Senior Secretary of the ministry Humayun Kabir Khandaker, and jury board chief and Professor of Dhaka University (DU) Mass Communication and Journalism Department Dr Abul Mansur Ahmed spoke at the function, with BPC Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq Nasim in the chair.