Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (July 10, 2023) asked the media to do constructive criticism for the welfare of the country, not for damaging it. "The criticism should be for the welfare of the country and not for damaging it,"  she said while addressing a function at her office here in the city. In the function, the premier distributed cheques of financial assistance to the families of dead, sick, insolvent and injured journalists. This year some Tk 3.46 crore were given against 438 journalists as financial assistance from Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust (BJWT) Fund. Read more: Fast-evolving tech may pose ‘unprecedented crises’ if journalists aren’t prepared: World Journalists Conference Hasina said the Awami League government has ensured freedom of media in the last 14 years. "None had ever enjoyed so much freedom in the past," she said. The PM asked the media to do criticism as much as required to correct the government but not to hamper the ongoing progress of the country. "We don't want that the progress of Bangladesh ti be hampered," she said. She said the media will have to have the sense of responsibility and dutifulness towards the country and the nation while they enjoy freedom. The BJWT fund was formed in 2014 with the seed money of Tk 25 crore provided by the prime minister on two occasions. Read more: Assault on on-duty journalists an unpardonable crime: GM Quader So far some Tk 40 crore was distributed among 13,510 journalists from the fund. Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud presided over the function, while Information Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker spoke on the occasion.  The Prime Minister said her government allowed private sector to run television channels when she came  to power in 1996 and then gave licenses of many television channels to generate employment. She said her government is going to bring the private television channels under a wage board. She called upon the media owners to donate money to the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust. Sheikh Hasina said her government can take arrangements so that the journalists can buy lands or flats making payment in installments. She said they have taken housing projects to bring landless people under the scheme free of costs following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation. Taking a swipe at critics of quick rental power plants, she said how could Bangladesh witness so much development unless Tk 90,000 crore was not given to the quick rental power plants. The BJWT fund was formed in 2014 with the seed money of Tk 25 crore provided by the prime minister on two occasions. So far some Tk 40 crore was distributed among 13,510 journalists from the fund. Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud presided over the function, while Information Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker spoke on the occasion.

President of Journalists Association of Korea (JAK) Kim Dong Hoon has said science and digital technology are evolving faster than ever and journalism may face “unprecedented crises” if they do not prepare for the future. “This is why we must reflect on issues and develop solutions now,” he said while speaking on the first day of the five-day World Journalists Conference-2023 that began in Seoul on Tuesday, seeking collaborative efforts for a brighter future for journalism globally. Kim said although participants from around the world have different nationalities, races, genders, and ideas, they all share the same identity as journalists who strive for truth, freedom and peace with sharp reasoning and warm hearts. “We now live in an era where we can access the news and information we need anytime, anywhere with a single smartphone. Things that were unimaginable just a few years ago have become a reality,” he said. Under the topic of “The Challenge of Journalism for Regional Development”, journalists discussed solution case studies that examine local community issues and propose solutions.    

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader MP strongly condemned the police attack on journalists during the Supreme Court Bar Association elections, and demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in the incident. “Assault on media workers while performing their professional duties is an unforgivable crime,” he said in a statement. Expressing anger over the incident, the Jatiya Party chief also said any attack on innocent journalists while collecting news cannot be accepted in a civilised society. GM Quader deplored that journalists in the country already cannot work independently. “Self-censorship has increased in the country's media due to various repressive laws.” He said the country's media outlets are trying their best to keep the flow of information amid various adversities. “It’s not possible to maintain democracy without full freedom of the press. So, everyone should play a responsible role in flourishing media for the sake of democracy. “All sorts of the safety of media workers should be ensured.” At least 10 journalists were injured as police charged batons on them on the Supreme Court premises amid a scuffle between pro-Awami League and pro-BNP lawyers over the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election on Wednesday. Police attacked journalists when they were taking photos and videos of police action on the pro-BNP lawyers as they engaged in a brawl with the pro-Awami League lawyers during their demonstration demanding the formation of a fresh election conducting committee under an "acceptable" authority.

At least 10  journalists and lawyers were injured as police charged batons on them on the Supreme Court premises amid scuffle between pro-Awami League and pro BNP lawyers over the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election on Wednesday. The two-day voting in SCBA election started around 10 am but it was suspended immediately when some pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations demanding formation of election conducting committee led by a neutral person. When the situation turned chaotic, police charged batons on the lawyers and journalists, leaving 10 people injured, said Barrister Kaisar Kamal, BNP law affairs secretary. Barrister Kaisar Kamal said, “Police charged baton on some lawyers including Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Ruhul Kuddus Kajal. We have informed it to the Chief Justice.” Jabed Akter, reporter of ATN News, Ibrahim Hossain, cameraperson of Boishakhi TV, Abdullah Al Maruf, multimedia reporters of Manabjamin, Humayun Kabir, cameraperson of  ATN Bangla, Solaiman Swapan, cameraman Somoy TV, Mehedi Hasan, cameraman DBC, Fazlul Haque, reporter of Jago News and SM Nur Mohammad, reporter of Ajker Patrika were among the injured. Of them, Jabed Akter was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. A seven-member sub-committee led by senior lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury, was formed earlier for conducting the election. But he resigned from the post on personal ground on March 13. Read more: Supreme Court Bar Association election underway Later, pro-Awami League Ainjibi Parishad formed a sub-committee led by freedom fighter Maniruzzaman while the pro-BNP Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel formed another committee headed by ASM Moktar Kabir. Besides, miscreants tore down 3000 ballot papers sometime on Tuesday night. A tense situation has been prevailing in the Supreme Court area over the issue.  

United News of Bangladesh (UNB) Editor Farid Hossain and Juger Chinta Editor Moursalin Babla have been elected the president and general secretary of the Dhaka Journalists' Forum for the next two years. The committee was announced at the Jatiya Press Club Monday. Also, Nuruddin Ahmed was elected senior vice-president, Nirmal Chakraborty vice-president, Monirul Islam joint secretary, Kawsar Rahman treasurer, Nurunnabi Robi public welfare secretary, Mithun Sarkar culture and publication secretary and Atiqul Islam office secretary. Rafiqur Rahman, Mahbub Alam, Sharmin Rinvi, Md Momin Hossain, Anjan Rahman, and Golam Majtuba Dhruvo were picked as the executive members of the committee.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud met with 13 journalists from Asia, Europe, and Africa at his office in the capital Monday. The minister informed them about the overall development of the country, including the mass media. He also replied to their questions. Journalists from Algeria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Vietnam are now in Bangladesh at the invitation of the foreign ministry. They already visited the top tourist spots in Bangladesh and the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar. Read more: 10 journalists win UNICEF award for outstanding reporting on children’s rights in Bangladesh  

The nation is set to observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day on Wednesday to commemorate the intellectuals killed systematically by Pakistan occupation forces and their local collaborators at the fag-end of the Liberation War in 1971. On this day in 1971, the country’s renowned academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists, artists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded and taken to unknown places and then brutally tortured and murdered. Their bodies were later dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital. Sensing an imminent defeat, the Pakistani forces and their local collaborators like Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakar committed the cold-blooded mass murders aiming to annihilate the country's intelligentsia and cripple emerging Bangladesh intellectually. Read more: Bangladesh observing Martyred Intellectuals Day Among the martyred intellectuals are Prof Munier Chowdhury, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Prof Muniruzzaman, Dr Fazle Rabbi, Sirajuddin Hossain, Shahidullah Kaiser, Prof GC Dev, JC Guha Thakurta, Prof Santosh Bhattacharya, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, journalists Khandaker Abu Taleb, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan (Ladu Bhai), ANM Golam Mustafa, Syed Nazmul Haq and Selina Parvin. The government has chalked out elaborate programmes to commemorate the December 14 tragedy. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on this occasion. President Hamid in a message said, “I call upon all to play an effective role from their respective position to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ imbued with the sacrifice of the Martyred Intellectuals and spirit of the Liberation War.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message urged all irrespective of party affiliation to get united against the killers of 1971, war criminal Jamaat, fundamentalists and  perform their duties from their respective positions to continue the development spree of the country by resisting all conspiracies of anti-democratic forces. Read more: Nation set to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day Tuesday Bangladesh Television and private television channels will broadcast special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.

Crime Reporters Association Bangladesh (Crab) on Thursday gave a seven-day ultimatum to a contractor company to withdraw a ‘false case’ that it filed against DBC journalist Saiful Islam Jewel and camera person Azad Ahmed. Crab raised the demand while staging a human chain and protest rally at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) premises in the capital's Segunbagicha. The journalist leaders  expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the ‘false case’ filed against the journalists by Nazmul Hasan Bhuiyan, brother of Kawsar Bhuiyan, owner of contractor company Victor Trading. Read: Assault on Faridpur journo: Main accused held They said, On August 2, Kawsar and his associates attacked Jewel and Azar, leaving them seriously injured. Kawsar and his accomplices were arrested and currently in jail over the incident but now they are giving murder threats to the journos. The speakers said memorandums will be submitted to the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Home Affairs demanding the withdrawal of the case. If the case is not withdrawn within seven days, Crab, DRU, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) will announce a united programme soon. DUJ president Sohel Haider Chowdhury, former president Abu Zafar Surya, DRU president Nazrul Islam Mithu, general secretary Nurul Islam Hasib, DRU former general secretary Kabir Ahmed Khan, former Crab general secretary Sarwar Alam, addressed the rally presided over by Crab president Mirza Mehedi Tamal.

The 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Bangladesh Sports Journalists’ Association (BSJA)  was held on Saturday at its office premises at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here.BSJA general secretary Anisur Rahman Paltu and treasurer Mazhar Uddin Omi presented their reports at the AGM, presided over by BSJA President  ATM Saiduzzaman. The AGM gave emphasis on forming a welfare fund to help the BSJA members during crisis situation.   Former BJSA Presidents  Majurul Haque and Syed Mamun, former Vice Presidents Dilu Khodakar, Kamal Ahmed, Arifur Rahman Babu, among others, took part in the discussion on different issues. Read: Babu emerges best player in Walton-BSJA Sports CarnivalCountry's leading sports journalists and sports editors of national dailies, news agencies, electronic and online media were present at the meeting.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said on Sunday that the Press Council was working to create a database of journalists with a view to bring fake journalists to book. “Once the database is created, identifying oneself as a journalist will become tough. As a result, the number of fake journalists will drop,” said Hasan. Hasan was speaking at a views exchange meeting with the Editors Forum at his ministry’s meeting room. Also read: BNP's statements outlandish, insane: Hasan Mahmud During the meeting, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Advisor of the Forum, said that journalists must work according to the spirit of the liberation war, while Rafiqul Islam Ratan, Convener of the Forum, said that there is no scope to air talk shows or news bulletins on the websites of newspapers or on online news portals according to the Printing Presses and Publications (Declaration and Registration) Act, 1973. Leaders of the Editor’s forum submitted a 10-point memorandum to Hasan at the meeting. The demands include—refraining from providing government advertisements and supplements to and cancelling the registrations of irregular and weak newspapers, paying the outstanding advertisement bills, reorganizing the circulation-determining process of newspapers, not making unprofessional journalists the Editors of newspapers, designating VIP status to the members of the Editors Forum and enabling the Information Ministry to provide declarations to newspapers. The Minister thanked the forum for agreeing with the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) that talk shows and news bulletins can’t be broadcast by newspapers. “Newspapers can publish short videos with their news, not talk shows or news bulletins. The existing law prohibits such practice,” Hasan said. Also read: Online news portals cannot legally broadcast talk shows, bulletins: Hasan Mahmud Member Secretary of the Editor’s Forum Faruk Ahmed Talukder, Advisors of the forum Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, Sharif Shahabuddin and Belayet Hossain, and Members of the forum Dulal Ahmed Chowdhury, Mir Moniruzzaman, Mofizur Rahman Khan Babu, Rimon Mahfuz, Nazmul Alam Toufiq and Jagdish Chandra Sarker attended the meeting.