Media urged to play key role against falsehood, distortion

BSS, Dhaka :
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu urged the media to play a courageous role against falsehood, half-truth and distortion.
“Media practices sometimes yellow journalism as well as disseminates balanced news. Even they (media) favour razakars and autocrats by supporting the killing of Bangabandhu,” he said this on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop at Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) in the city.
PIB arranged the workshop on ‘Government Public Relations and Mass Media’ in collaboration with Press Information Department (PID) with director general of PIB Shah Alamgir in the chair.
Additional Principal Information Officer Joynal Abedin and editor of Bhorer Kagoj Shyamol Dutta spoke as special guests.
The minister said “Information officers have to uphold the constitution”.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government enacted and updated 267 laws to cope with the present situation and remove autocracy, while Khaleda-Nizami introduced 137 acts for legalization of military rule, Inu added.
He said information officers have to keep in mind that they are public relation officers of ministers, government and administrations and added “Their responsibilities are to highlight correct information of the government.”
The minister, however, said that information officers would have to highlight basic difference before the media between the present government and the past BNP-Jamaat government.
Inu said the information officers should highlight the government’s successes which added a new dimension in diplomacy.