FROM PAGE 12

phone calls to mobilise help but it did not arrive in time, Kabir said: “My witness is the Prime Minister’s press secretary himself. If the chief adviser’s press secretary cannot get help when major media houses are under attack, it means the government allowed this to happen.”

Journalism in a democratic society must remain inherently critical of power, said Kabir, also the editor of the daily New Age.

“Press freedom is not for journalists -- it is for the people,” he said, adding that journalism enables public opinion to exert democratic pressure between elections.

The implementation of the Wage Board was not only the government’s responsibility but also that of media owners. He called for transparency and a code of conduct for both journalists and owners.

Media Reform Commission Chief Kamal Ahmed warned that the government’s planned Broadcast Commission Ordinance and Media Commission Ordinance could create serious regulatory conflicts due to overlapping authorities.

The television licensing authority already exists under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). If the BTRC remains and another broadcast commission is formed, there will be constant conflict over whose decision will prevail.

“If the Press Council is kept and a media commission is also formed, there will be the same kind of overlap and conflict,” said Ahmed, also the consulting editor of The Daily Star.

Such duplication would undermine reform efforts, he said, adding that the Media Reform Commission had deliberately avoided proposing overlapping powers and instead proposed editorial oversight and grievance mechanisms.

Referring to the government’s recent rush to issue ordinances, he said: “This government is at its final stage, and suddenly it has become very active.”

The ordinances would still require validation by the next parliament.

“If things are done through patchwork, it can create a dangerous situation in the future.”

He also reiterated that financial insecurity poses a threat to press freedom.

“If journalists are not financially independent, they cannot work independently,” he said.

Although the chief adviser talks about ‘three zeros’, in reality, he sees only emptiness around him, said Zillur Rahman, the president of CGS.

A government representative refused to use the term ‘mobs’ claiming it would be an insult to the mass uprising, he said, while raising questions about media freedom in such a situation.

“There is no real vote in the country; what exists is referendum campaigning -- government campaigning through government offices, with ‘Referendum 2026’ above ‘parliamentary election’,” said Rahman, also the host of the long-running talk show Tritiyo Matra.

Dhaka University Professor SM Shamim Reza stressed the need to identify gaps between media and the public, and addressed journalist pay, protection laws, Press Council effectiveness and safe work environments.

Robaet Ferdous, a professor at Dhaka University’s department of mass communication, emphasised the role of courage and critical thinking in media and democracy.

Ayesha Kabir, head of Prothom Alo English, called for gender inclusivity.

“Women’s participation in media must increase to build an equitable state,” she added.

Journalists must secure their own independence, as those in power often seek flattery, said Shakhawat Hossain Sayantha, general secretary of political research organisation G9.

He called for vigilance in preventing the spread of misinformation before elections via AI-generated videos and edited photos.

Sajedul Huq Rubel, central committee member of the Communist Party of Bangladesh; Bazlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh; Dhaka Tribune Editor Reaz Ahmad; Senior Journalist Zahid Newaz Khan; and Bangladesh Pratidin Executive Editor AKM Monjurul Islam spoke at the event among others.