The Editors’ Council has moved to introduce limits on media owners’ influence over editorial decisions, signalling a fresh push for structural reform in Bangladesh’s press industry.
At a discussion jointly organised by the Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (Noab) in Dhaka on Sunday, industry leaders said a separate code of conduct will be drafted for both owners and editors to clearly define roles and reduce interference in newsroom operations.
The announcement came during a World Press Freedom Day event, where speakers also raised concerns over declining credibility in mainstream media and the growing pressure of misinformation.
Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, argued that editorial independence is essential for credible journalism. “Just as a hospital owner cannot tell a surgeon how to operate, otherwise the patient will die, similarly, media owners cannot manage the media. Only editors can,” he said.
Several speakers said the credibility crisis facing traditional media is not driven only by social platforms, but also by weaknesses within newsrooms themselves.
Kamal Ahmed, head of the Media Reform Commission formed by the interim government, criticised selective reporting practices.
He pointed to cases where lists of loan defaulters and money launderers were published without naming owners linked to those outlets. “How can a media house claim credibility if it hides its own owner’s name from such lists?” he asked.
He also described a recent Supreme Court directive restricting journalists as a form of “collective punishment”, arguing that accountability should be individual, not blanket-based.
Editors’ Council President Nurul Kabir said political parties often demand responsible journalism when in power but react differently when in opposition. He urged the government to clarify which recommendations of the Media Reform Commission are prepared to implement.
He also stressed that media reform must be tied to broader national accountability, referring to recent political upheaval and the sacrifices made during it.
Noab President Matiur Rahman Chowdhury warned that journalism worldwide is under pressure. “Truth is under threat everywhere,” he said, describing fake news as a growing global crisis. He called for both legal action and social awareness to counter misinformation, noting that false reports can spread rapidly on digital platforms before being verified.
Independent media commission
A key theme of the discussion was the urgent need for an independent media commission. Senior editors like Nurul Kabir, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury and Kamal Ahmed and media leaders argued that Bangladesh lacks a formal framework to regulate digital platforms and ensure accountability.
Speakers noted that countries such as Australia and several European Union members have already taken steps to regulate tech platforms through legislation.
Later, Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said the government is considering forming an advisory committee as a step towards establishing an independent media commission.
He also mentioned plans to bring digital platforms under its oversight.
However, editors at the event insisted that the process must move beyond discussion. “We no longer want assurances that a commission will be formed. We want action,” Nurul Kabir said.
The minister acknowledged the rapid spread of misinformation, calling it an “epidemic”, and said legal measures alone would not be sufficient. “There is now a ‘journalist’ in every home through social media, sharing whatever they see,” he said, adding that existing government systems are struggling to keep pace with the digital age.
