Matiur Rahman, editor of Prothom Alo, on Saturday stressed the importance of unity and solidarity among journalists, cautioning that the arrival of a new government will not automatically solve the country’s problems.
He made the remarks at a joint conference organised by the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) and the Editors’ Council, held at the Institution of Agricultural Scientists of Bangladesh (KAIB) auditorium in Khamarbari, Dhaka.
Addressing the gathering, Matiur Rahman urged journalists to stand together and support one another.
“We should not assume that all issues will be resolved automatically once the next elected government takes office. It hasn’t happened in the past, and it won’t happen automatically in the future either,” he said.
Drawing on his 55 years of experience in journalism, he noted that no government has refrained from imposing some form of control over the media.
He highlighted the complete shutdown of the press in 1975 and the repeated harassment of journalists during subsequent military and autocratic regimes.
Matiur Rahman praised the event for bringing journalists together across party lines, calling it a significant step for the profession.
He emphasized that unity is essential to resist injustice and oppression, urging journalists to remain vigilant to protect press freedom, professional security, and personal safety.
