United News of Bangladesh

Jimi Amir, a member of the Media Reform Commission, has blamed bureaucratic resistance for the government's failure to initiate media reforms, though the commission submitted its report months ago. “The commission submitted its report in March, but it has yet to see the light of day. Bureaucratic entanglements have stalled the entire process, and no initiative has been taken at the government level since,” she said. Speaking as a panelist at a seminar titled ‘365 Days of the Interim Government’, organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Jimi alleged that bureaucrats deliberately blocked reforms. “They didn’t want it to happen. The ordinance that was supposed to be issued based on our recommendations got stuck due to bureaucratic complications. The bureaucrats want to keep power in their own hands, which is why they obstructed media reform,” Jimi said. The commission was tasked with proposing fundamental changes within three months, addressing decades of irregularities in the media sector, which has operated without a universal structure for the past 50 years. 16 key reform recommendations implemented so far: CA’s Office Jimi, however, claimed the key reform proposals were ignored. “Although all political parties discussed various issues in the consensus commission, not once was media reform raised. In the future, whoever comes to power might simply say that media issues weren’t discussed in the commission, so no reforms are necessary.” Highlighting the core objectives of the commission, Jimi said the goal was to ensure economic security for journalists and to create a safe environment for news gathering. It also aimed to shift away from the dominance of corporate media houses and establish a structured, institutional media framework. “No one of this has been achieved,” she added. Expressing frustration, she said, “There are media houses in this country where journalists earn only Tk 8,000–10,000 a month. Many outlets provide just a press card and expect journalists to earn their own income. Under such circumstances, journalists are forced to seek alternative sources of income just to survive, which inevitably leads to corruption and undermines independent journalism.” Jimi also pointed out that field reporters often face pressure from the government and political parties, while the power remains concentrated in the hands of media house executives who are rarely held accountable. “Despite our best efforts to ensure safety for journalists on the ground, the entire process has stalled due to the indifference of bureaucrats,” Jimi said.