The government expects the media to play a neutral and responsible role, said Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam on Thursday. He underscored the growing challenges posed by rumours and misinformation, saying that, alongside promoting the truth, the media must take effective measures to counter these issues. Betar still major source of information: Mahfuj Alam The adviser was speaking at an iftar gathering and exchange of views held at the Information Bhaban in Dhaka, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He welcomed constructive criticism from the media, acknowledging that such feedback was valuable in aiding the government to make informed decisions. The adviser added that while the media's critical role should be appreciated, it was equally important for the media to highlight the government’s positive initiatives. Reflecting on the media's role over the past 16 years, Mahfuj criticised the lack of discipline in the industry and revealed that the government had established a Media Reform Commission to address this. Based on the recommendations of this commission, the government was set to initiate media reforms. He called for the cooperation of media owners, journalists, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of these reforms. Govt to arrest mobs instantly, on-site: Adviser Mahfuj Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Mahbuba Farzana, along with owners and editors from print and electronic media, as well as officials from the Press Wing of the chief adviser, among others, attended the programme.

Mahfuj Alam has been appointed adviser to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday. Information Adviser Nahid Islam finally quits Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus appointed him the Information Adviser a day after Nahid Islam stepped down from the position. Mafuj Alam took the oath of office as an adviser on November 10 last year but had not held a specific portfolio. President accepts Nahid’s resignation letter Earlier, he was appointed as the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on August 28, just 20 days after the formation of the interim government. Mafuj Alam is a graduate of the Law Department of  Dhaka University.

Advisers Md Nahid Islam and Md Mahfuj Alam on Sunday said that consensus based institutional reform can sow the seed of true and sustainable democracy in Bangladesh and that in turn will save the future of democracy in Bangladesh.   They expressed this view in response to a question raised during the first session of a series of ‘Foreign Policy Dialogue’ themed ‘Building a New Bangladesh – Reforms and Foreign Policy’, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   Adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications Information Technology Nahid Islam and Adviser to the government Mahfuj Alam participated in the dialogue while Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin moderated the event.   At the beginning, a minute’s silence was observed for the martyrs of the July-August revolution and the event screened a special short documentary on the events of July-August 2024.   Praising the fearless roles of the young Advisers, Foreign Secretary remarked that the youth has again proved that they can take the leadership role at any critical juncture of the country’s history. India unlikely to extradite Hasina, says Adviser Mahfuj Mentioning the reform initiatives taken by the interim government, he engaged in an interactive dialogue with the Advisers and sought their views on foreign policy, reform, mass uprising and the future of Bangladesh.   An engaging question-answer session followed where young officers of the Ministry took the opportunity to ask the Advisers candid questions and get answers on the episode that turned the history pages of Bangladesh into a new chapter.   In response to a question, both the Advisers agreed that for the implementation of a robust foreign policy for making Bangladesh an important player in the international arena, support will be extended to the initiatives for enabling the Foreign Ministry to take the leading role in foreign policy issues.

The Facebook post claiming Mahfuj Alam, the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, as a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, is not true, said Chief Adviser's press wing. The post carried a screenshot of an article published by the English daily, The Business Standard, which referred to a man, namely Abdullah Al Mahfuz, as an alleged member of Hizb ut-Tahrir. The accused Abdullah Al Mahfuz and Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam are two different persons, said the press wing through its fact-checking Facebook page. The fact-checking unit of the daily Ajker Patrika cleared the matter in a report also. Mahfuj Alam has been a key member of the student movement, which led to the mass uprising against Sheikh Hasina's "dictatorship". He has said in a post that he was never a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir or any other outlawed or Islamist groups.

Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam on Thursday said the interim government would not tolerate any attacks on the media and freedom of expression. At a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, he clarified the government’s position on media freedom, warning that legal steps would be taken against anyone trying to hurt the media freedom. Govt to form search committee for constituting new Election Commission: Mahfuj Earlier, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a warning that necessary action will be taken if any media organization comes under attack. The ministry expressed serious concern over reports of plans to lay siege to and threats aimed at certain media outlets in Bangladesh. The interim government, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding media freedom, strongly condemned the threats and any attempts to intimidate the press. “If such incidents occur, those responsible will face legal consequences,” the statement emphasised. Tougher fight ahead, says Farhad Mazhar backing Mahfuj Mahfuj also said the Bangladesh Chhatra League, students’ wing of Bangladesh Awami League, is now banned and accordingly there are legal barriers to according it publicity through the media. He urged journalists to keep this in mind, to avoid playing any role in publicity of the “terrorist organization” through their media outlets. At the briefing, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said though BCL has been banned as a terrorist organization, no such decision has been taken regarding its parent organization Awami League, or any other organization. There is also no initiative to confiscate the assets of the banned organization for now, she mentioned. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was also present.

Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam has said all political parties wholeheartedly extended support to the interim government for their efforts during the dialogue with the Chief Adviser yesterday.  "All political parties extended their support to the government. They are considering this as their own government," he told reporters on Saturday night after a lengthy dialogue between the political parties and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.  The dialogue lasted till 9pm from 2:30pm at state guesthouse Jamuna where major political parties joined.  Dhaka, KL want stronger ties; next round of discussions on FTA soon During the dialogue, Mahfuj said, the government sought proposals from the political parties and the current law and order situation was also discussed.  He said there are six reform commissions in place and election preparation issues were discussed which will continue.  Responding to a question, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said there will be a consensus on reform programmes as the six reform commissions will submit their reports in December. "Timeline depends on that consensus," he said, adding that work towards election-centric preparations including Election Commission formation will go ahead simultaneously. Can’t wait indefinitely, says Dr Yunus seeking int’l solution to Rohingya crisis Elections, improving the law-and-order situation, rearranging public administration, and checking commodity prices were discussed in the dialogue.  The Chief Adviser informed the political parties of his government's initiatives to address these concerns, and they all pledged to cooperate.