Information flow ‘acid test’ for govt during disasters Info Minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said ensuring the supply of accurate information and preventing misinformation during national disasters was a major test for the government, urging field-level information officials to strengthen public communication.

Speaking at a virtual meeting with district information officers from across the country from the ministry’s conference room on Tuesday, Swapon compared information management to “oxygen”, saying misinformation and false information could create serious disruption in society.

He instructed District Information Officers (DIOs) to present an accurate picture of government disaster response, maintain direct contact with people and submit daily reports on their activities.

“Ensuring that this flow of information remains untainted is one of our foremost responsibilities. If every day we can identify and prevent at least 20 pieces of false information or rumors and report that to the nation, people will become more aware, and the ministry’s work will achieve its purpose,” he said.

The minister said information was no longer limited to newspapers and television as digital platforms had become a major source of communication.

“Therefore, we must move beyond traditional methods of communication and establish a strong presence on digital platforms as quickly as possible,” he said.

During the meeting, Swapon held discussions with information officers from seven flood-affected districts Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Habiganj and Moulvibazar to review their field-level activities.

He instructed the director general of the Mass Communication Department to immediately form a special emergency team comprising information officers from the seven districts to maintain round-the-clock communication with the ministry and headquarters.

The minister directed officials to ensure that all reports contained objective, data-based information and statistics.

“Reports must contain objective, data-driven information and statistics. Daily reports should include accurate figures on flooded villages, stranded people, snakebite incidents, and relief distribution.

The submitted data will be cross-checked with information received from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief,” he said.

To maintain continuous public communication during the disaster period, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury and Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman have been assigned responsibilities for public outreach.

The ministry will also hold regular daily press briefings on the flood situation and government relief operations while operating a coordinated control room.

“While the work of other ministries is often visible through physical infrastructure, our responsibility is primarily to keep people informed and reassured through accurate information on digital and media platforms. This disaster is an acid test for us,” Swapon said.

Officials participating virtually from the field said district information offices were continuing awareness campaigns and loudspeaker announcements to encourage people at risk of landslides to move to shelters.

As flood conditions improve in several areas, they said their focus has shifted towards preventing waterborne diseases, raising awareness about snakebites and ensuring transparency in relief distribution.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farjana, Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, Mass Communication Department Director General Md Abdul Jalil and other senior officials attended the meeting.