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World Press Freedom Day Observed

'Democracy a must for free press'

Staff Correspondent
Only law is not enough, the mindset of people to hide information must be changed to ensure freedom of press and right to information. said the speakers at the inaugural session of a celebration yesterday.
They said .democratic environment is an imperative for the freedom of press in any country.
The two-day celebration was organised by the Mass-line Media Centre (MMC) in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation and Article 19 at the IDB auditorium in the capital to mark the World Press Freedom Day.
Throughout the world. May 3 serves as an occasion to inform people of violations of right to freedom of expression, and as a
reminder that many journalists brave death or jail to give them news.
“Freedom of press is a continuous process and it (freedom of press) is widening day by day," said Mahbubul /Mam. former adviser to the caretaker government, at the inaugural session of the two-day programme.
Democratic environment is an imperative to ensure freedom of the press, he said, adding. “Media can move forward smoothly in a democraticenvironment."
The former adviser observed that only law cannot ensure freedom of the press and right to information. “we need to change our mindset and attitude to hide information."
"We also need to exclude suspicious attitude of our mind." he
added.
Sukumar Muralidharan of International Federation of Journalists said there can be no press freedom where poverty, corruption and fear remain within journalists.
"Beside these three factors, there are innumerable pressures from different quarters which are also threats to press freedom," he added.
He said journalists also lack professional recognition.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno. said, "Freedom of mass media is our constitutional rights, but different governments in the past tried to interfere until this right."
However the press freedom in Bangladesh is better than many other countries, she added.
She urged all to come out from
the culture of secrecy.
Dr Sakhawat All Khan, who presided over the inaugural session, said, "We do not believe that everything will be fine once the law is enacted to ensure freedom of press and right to information.
He said if newspaper workers are not given proper wages, law itself cannot ensure freedom of the press.
SM Shameem Reza, assistant professor of Dhaka University, readout the theme paper.
Kamrul Hassan Monju, executive director of MMC. also spoke on the occasion.
Different sessions of the two-day celebration would be chaired and participated by prominent political leaders, public officials, lawyers, civil society members, media activists, academics and development practitioners.