Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Friday said the government has initiated discussions with stakeholders to ensure maximum freedom for the media, in line with its election manifesto and 31-point charter.
“Our government is only one and a half months old. We have started discussion with all stakeholders to ensure the highest level of responsible freedom for the media as promised. We are optimistic that we can reach our desired goal based on the results of these collective discussions,” he said.
The minister was speaking to journalists after inaugurating an eight-day book fair at the Bir Muktijoddha Rafiqul Islam Bakul Swadhinata Chattar in Pabna this evening.
Regarding the safety of journalists, Swapon pointed out that the history of torture against the media was an inevitable part of fascist activities.
“We have ousted fascism through a democratic struggle. If we want to establish democracy, we will not allow the crimes of torturing media personnel – who practiced their rights and independence – to go unpunished. We have already taken steps to prepare a list of victims by involving journalist representatives to identify these crimes,” he added.
Earlier, at 7pm, the minister officially opened the fair, organised by the Pabna district unit of JASAS, by cutting a ribbon. The ceremony commenced with the performance of the national and party anthems.
Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Member of Parliament for Pabna-5, attended the event as the keynote speaker. Special guests included Pabna District BNP Convener Habibur Rahman Habib, Pabna District Bar Association President Advocate Masud Khandaker, and Pabna Book Fair Celebration Council Member Secretary Dr Ahmed Mostafa Noman.
The event was chaired by Khaled Hossain Parag, the prime minister’s photographer and convener of district Jasas. Following the discussion, the guests visited various stalls at the fair.
The fair features 20 stalls from various publishing houses showcasing a wide range of new books. Cultural programmes will also be held as part of the event. The fair will remain open to the public daily from 10am to 9pm until its conclusion on April 10.
