At an exchange meeting with journalists, Senior Press Secretary to BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia Ashik Islam stated: “Journalists should be countrymen, not ‘my men.'” He emphasized that journalists form a crucial segment of society – the mirror that reflects nation-building. “But this mirror must not become concave or convex, as we witnessed during the fascist autocratic regime. Journalists must fight to secure their own rights,” he added.
The remarks came during an interaction on Monday at a Dhaka restaurant, hosted by nationalist-leaning journalists. Ashik Islam, central advisor to Cyber Bangladesh Nationalist Cyber User Party (BNCUP) who recently returned after 17 years abroad, further noted: “Everyone must recognise how pivotal media will become in shaping the country’s future political landscape.”
He urged: “The more journalists impartially critique political parties and governments with wisdom, the faster the nation progresses. While media faces have changed, their character remains unaltered.”
Attending journalists expressed frustration, recalling how nationalist journalists faced persecution under the previous fascist government and still endure neglect. They criticised the prevailing culture of “my men” over professionalism in media outlets and urged BNP to prioritise media engagement more strategically.
“Though personnel have changed, media biases persist,” they observed. “BNP consistently lags in media representation – print and electronic outlets disproportionately highlight party leaders’ flaws while underreporting BNP’s nation-building, social development, and democratic contributions.”
Senior leaders’ events receive formulaic coverage, they noted, unlike Awami League’s media-savvy approach. “Every national crisis has seen BNP’s resilient leadership steer recovery, yet these successes remain obscure to the public due to media blackouts,” lamented participants.
The event saw attendance from prominent media figures including Erfanul Haque Nahid, Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union; Morsalnay Nomani, Chief Reporter of BSS and former DRU President; Moinul Hasan, Chief Reporter of ATN Bangla; Ahmed Sagar, Head of News at GTV; Mehedi Hasan Palash, Assistant Editor of Daily Inqilab; Tariq Al Banna, Joint News Editor of Daily Bhorer Akash and former Propaganda Secretary of DUJ; Parag Arman, Sports Editor of ATN Bangla; Mahmud Hasan, Head of News at Green TV; Zahirul Haque Rana, former News Editor of BSS and former Treasurer of DUJ; Akhtar Hossain Masud, former Editor of News Today; GM Rajib, Senior Reporter of BSS; Almagir Hossain, City Editor of Somoyer Alo; Momin Hossain, Management Committee Member of National Press Club and Senior Reporter of RTV; Mosharraf Bablu, Special Correspondent of Daily Times of Bangladesh; Ashraful Hossain, Sports Reporter of ATN Bangla; Almagir Mohammad Ranju, Senior Journalist; Md. Kashem, Executive Editor of Weekly Sada Kalo in New York; Abu Darda Zobayer, Senior Sub-Editor of Daily Amar Desh; along with Rahul Roy, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Shibli, Mohammad Kamal Hossain, Ahsan Johnny and others.