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Use social media in public interest

The Daily Star roundtable in Ctg told

Staff Correspondent, Chittagong
Social media should be used to uphold public interests, said Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Prof Mizanur Rahman yesterday.
He defined public interest as the interest of the poor and said social media could play a vital role to guarantee human rights.
Prof Mizanur was speaking as the chief guest at a roundtable tided “Role of Social Media in Advancing People's Right to Know” organised by The Daily Star at its Chittagong bureau office in association with London East Bank College, Chittagong.
Prashanta Bhushon Barua, director of
London East Bank College, UK & Bangladesh, presented the keynote paper styled “The Role of New Media in Advancing People's Right to Know: A Blend of Freedom and Fear”.
Taking part in the discussion, Prof Mizanur said social media would fail to play its proper role if its users failed to feel the pains and sufferings of the underprivileged.
“I won't say these media as social media until and unless the rural people are associated with these," he said, adding, “Social media are the expression of civilisation and we will have to advance holding those
hands, not avoiding.
“But we must associate the rural people with social media."
On censorship and abuse of social media, he said people must be educated for their responsible behaviour in the social media. He emphasised investment in education in true sense saying, “Unless and until you invest in education, how can you expect mature and responsible behaviour from people?”
The state which has a pro-people character can act as an editor of the social media, he said, adding, “It is the duty of us all to make the state pro-people; otherwise we will have to take the responsibility for the abuse of social media.”
Salehuddin Ahmed, managing editor of The Daily Star, said social media is a part of globalisation and everyone must board the train of globalisation to keep pace with the world.
He also put emphasis on the users of social media to work for the interest of the mass people. “Are the 1.7 million users of social media in Bangladesh working for the interest of mass people?” he asked, saying, “Benefits of all our efforts go to 50 percent people of upper level, but the benefits should reach the door of the rest 50 percent people."
Abul Momen, resident editor of The Prothom Alo, Chittagong, who moderated the roundtable, said as social media was an informal media, it would be very diffi -cult to formalise it like the print and electronic media.
Terming the country's society volatile and unstable, Momen said a mature society was essential to build responsible citizens.
Prof Syed Ahsanul Alam, chairman of marketing department at Chittagong University, described social media as a "sharp knife," saying necessary law should be enacted to control its abuse.
“But in enacting the law the government must keep in mind that it would not hamper the legitimate freedom of the users," he opined.
Atiqur Rahman, associate professor of Chittagong University, said active supervision from the government was crucial for a responsible social media.
He stressed the need for a peaceful coexistence of the government and the social media.
The Daily Star's Chittagong bureau chief Raisul Huq Bahar, CU assistant professor Adnan Mannan and Independent University Bangladesh teacher Amran Haroon also spoke on the occasion, among others.