BD media enjoys utmost freedom
Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said Bangladesh’s media now enjoys unparalleled freedom, but the rise of misinformation and disinformation on social media has become a major concern.
He made these comments during a meeting with a delegation from the Open Society Foundations, led by Chairman Alex Soros and President Binaifer Nowrojee, who came to express support for the reforms being carried out by the interim government.
The delegation discussed Bangladesh’s efforts to revive its economy, trace misappropriated assets, combat misinformation, and implement essential economic reforms. Alex Soros praised Prof Yunus for his leadership during a critical period in the country’s history, noting his role in guiding reforms to strengthen institutions and rebuild the economy.
He emphasized that the student-led mass uprising had created significant opportunities to set a new direction for the country.
The discussions covered a range of issues, including the July uprising, transitional justice for the victims of the struggle, economic reforms, media freedom, the recovery of stolen assets, new cybersecurity laws and potential improvements, and the ongoing Rohingya crisis. “We will explore ways to support your efforts in these areas,”Soros said.
Prof Yunus expressed his gratitude to the Open Society Foundations for their support and urged them to do more to spread awareness about the student-led uprising in July, which played a key role in dismantling an oppressive regime. “What I saw during my visit to Davos was that many people are unaware of the July uprising, and there’s a lot of disinformation,” he remarked.
The Chief Adviser also called on the Foundation to assist with tracing the estimated $234 billion in assets that were siphoned off during Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year tenure. He highlighted that the interim government had inherited a deeply struggling economy and requested the Foundation’s help in the rebuilding efforts.
The Open Society Foundations also expressed a willingness to support Bangladesh in its crucial transition out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status, a move that Prof Yunus welcomed. “We need to carefully manage this transition to avoid any problems,” he stated.