BSS, Dhaka

The government is going to establish an independent commission to strengthen media by ensuring press freedom, said Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon yesterday.

“In the past, the government’s approach was focused only on control. But the present government is committed to ensuring overall discipline and welfare in the media under an independent legal framework in cooperation with all stakeholders, instead of imposing control,” he said.

Addressing a meeting with the leaders of the convening committee of the newly formed Television Editors’ Council at his ministry, he said, “Just as a strong Election Commission ensures transparency in voting and benefits the state, a strong media commission would ultimately benefit the people.”

Describing the media as a full-fledged industry, Swapon said many business enterprises hold the ownership of media with the intention of evading taxes or protecting illegal income from other sectors. He stressed that this culture must be stopped.

He said that if any entrepreneur fails to comply with labour laws, implement the wage board, pay employees’ salaries, benefits, and retirement dues regularly, or maintain transparency in tax, VAT, and balance sheets, they will have no right to obtain or renew any media licence.