State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat has expressed solidarity with the journalists' demand to take action against unregistered and illegal online news portals. 

He said: "As you, the journalists, have demanded to stop the operation of unregistered and illegal online news portals, I completely agree with you. I will take steps to meet your demand."

The state minister said this at a meeting with the executive committee of the Online News Portal Association Bangladesh (ONAB) at the conference room of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the Bangladesh Secretariat here.

The government of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes in free media and full freedom of the press, Arafat said, adding, "We have no intention to monitor or control the media or online news portals."
 
"However, your (professional journalists) suggestion for monitoring the news portals for bringing discipline in media proved that the government doesn't control the media", he said, adding the operation of unregistered online news portals is the example of how much freedom the mass media is enjoying in the country.

Because of the limitless freedom being enjoyed by the mass media, there is a lack of discipline in the country's media industry, the state minister said, adding: "There is no question of monitoring or controlling media. We don't support it and don't want to do so. But, simultaneously, I agree to your demand of bringing discipline in the online news portals".

He also agreed to the demand of journalists that extending support and giving incentives to the registered news portals are needed to promote responsible journalism.

BDST: 1945 HRS, APR 16, 2024
MN/SMS