Information and Broadcasting Minister
Info Minister for raising awareness among young Bangladeshi expatriates about Mujibnagar Govt
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has called for creating greater awareness and documentation on the role of the Mujibnagar Government during our glorious War of Liberation, amongst the new generation of Bangladeshi expatriates.
He made the call while speaking as the chief guest at the Bangladesh High Commission, London’s commemorative event on the 51st Anniversary of historic Mujibnagar Day.
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To ensure that history is not distorted to the younger generations, especially on the undisputed leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the protracted freedom struggle and the independence of Bangladesh, as well as the historical role played by the four national leaders, and the Mujibnagar government in liberating Bangladesh, the Information Minister said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will produce documentaries in English on our liberation war based on national and international empirical evidences.
He suggested publishing booklets in English by the London High Commission on the War of Liberation, including the significance of the historic Mujibnagar Day for distribution to the new generation of British-Bangladeshis, said the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Wednesday.
“To honour the sacrifices made by the heroes of our liberation war and realise the Golden Bengal vision of Bangabandhu, his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is making relentless stride to transform Bangladesh into a prosperous, self-reliant and self-respecting nation,” the minister said.
Speaking on the occasion as the guest of honour, valiant freedom fighter and a veteran of the Mujibnagar Government Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikrom, reminded the nation that the Mujibnagar Government was neither a temporary nor an interim government, but the first constitutional government of the independent and sovereign People’s Republic of Bangladesh as declared in the ‘Proclamation of Independence’ adopted on 10 April 1971.
Dr Chowdhury, also the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, encouraged the young generation to better study the ‘Proclamation of Independence' of Bangladesh, which was the mini-constitution and the guide for conducting the 1971 liberation war and the wartime government.
High Commissioner for Bangladesh to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem paid deep homage to Bangabandhu and the four national leaders who sworn in the first government of independent Bangladesh on behalf of Bangabandhu, making him the president, naming the place after the Father of the Nation as Mujibnagar, campaigning internationally for the release of Bangabandhu from imprisonment and skillfully conducting the War of Liberation to ultimate victory.
She also paid propound gratitude to valiant freedom fighters, martyrs and victims of the 1971 War of Liberation and the foreign governments who supported the Mujibnagar Government and visited Bengali refugee camps in India during the War of Liberation, including former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi and leading British politicians such as Michael Barnes, MP, Bruce Douglas-Mann, MP, Toby Jessel, MP, Arthur Bottomley, MP, Reginal Prentice, MP, James Ramsden, MP and Peter Shore, MP.
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The High Commissioner on behalf of London High Commission reaffirmed her oath on the historic Mujibnagar Day as a public servant of the republic created on 10 April 1971 in supporting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision and aspiration for a democratic, progressive, secular and prosperous Bangladesh.
Valiant freedom fighter Lt. Col. (Retd) Kazi Sajjad Ali Zaheer, Bir Pratik and Padama Sri, eminent cultural and theater personality Ramendu Majumder, veteran freedom fighter and war correspondent of ‘Joy Bangla’ weekly and the ‘Swadhin Bangla Beter Kendra’ Haroon Habib former Professor of Law at the University of Dhaka Dr Salim Mahmud also spoke.
Member of the Student Action Committee of the Overseas Freedom Movement of Bangladesh War of Liberation in the UK and overseas Freedom Fighter Sultan Mahmud Sharif and expatriate British-Bangladeshi community personality Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk also spoke on the occasion.
A short documentary on the oath-taking of the Mujibnagar Government was shown at the virtual event, participated by a large number of expatriate Bangladeshis living in the UK and Ireland.
Human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than US: Hasan Mahmud
The human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than the United States in many instances, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday dismissing the report of the US on human rights issues in Bangladesh.
"We do not agree with the US human rights report," the minister told the reporters after attending a discussion 'Mahe Ramadan and Mass Media' and Iftar Mahfil organised by Bangladesh Sampadak Forum in the city.
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The data in this report might have been collected from certain sources. And the sources are one-sided and provide a lot of misinformation, he added.
“In fact, in many cases, the human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than in the United States, though not in all cases."
"There are no prisons in our country like the way people are tortured at Guantanamo Bay of the US," said the minister.
The unarmed black man George Floyd had been pinned down and killed by a police officer in the US, he added.
Hasan Mahmud further said four persons were killed even in the US parliament which never happened in Bangladesh.
"The judicial department is working very independently in Bangladesh," he said, adding that they are examining the report.
The minister also said the relation between Bangladesh and the US is very close. Besides, the security force mentioned in the report (RAB) has also taken technical assistance from the US.
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"I think there is an opportunity to correct any shortcomings in the future if we have any help with this technical assistance and other issues," he added.
Meanwhile, the World Bank hinted at higher growth of Bangladesh economy this year in a recent report, he said.
"Those who criticize our country all the time, I hope they will stop criticizing after this report," he said, referring to the World Bank's report as the country's economy has turned around after the pandemic.
Install Set Top Box by April 1 to watch satellite TV channels: Minister
The decision to bring the cable TV network under the digital system will be enforced from April 1 in Dhaka and Chattogram, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday.
Customers in the two cities will have to get TV set top boxes from April 1 to watch satellite television channels, he told reporters after a meeting with cable TV operators at the ministry.
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“We had a discussion in detail to implement our initiative to bring cable TV network under digital system and you (journalists) know that a case was also filed in this regard,” he said.
He said the government has taken the initiative to provide better service to customers and ensure that the government is not deprived of VAT and tax from this sector.
“Today we’ve set a timeframe and we have fixed April 1 to ensure installation of set top boxes in Dhaka and Chattogram. We will work together to provide set top boxes within the time,” he said.
“Those who will fail to install set top boxes during this period will be deprived from watching some satellite channels,” he added.
The decision will be enforced in all metropolitan cities and divisional cities by May 30, he said adding already several lakh set top boxes have been procured and it will be implemented in phases.
The meeting also decided to formulate a guideline for the cable operating system and it is needed, he said adding, “We have reached a decision to form a guideline through a committee involving stakeholders.”
Mobile courts started operating from October 1 under the direction of the ministry of information and broadcasting to implement ad-free or clean feed broadcasting of foreign channels in accordance with Cable Network Operation Act 2006.
Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) members stopped broadcasting foreign satellite channels without 'clean feeds', i.e. their advertisement slots filled by show sponsors and other commercial entities cater to a foreign market, on October 19 in line with a government directive.
Legally, a 'clean feed' means the broadcast runs without any advertisements from show sponsors or other commercial entities.
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The clean feed policy calls for foreign channels to streamline content according to region, i.e. not air commercials meant for one region in another region. For example, if an Indian channel is to be aired in Bangladesh, commercials produced for the Indian market cannot be aired here.
The solution the information ministry would like to force upon these channels is to have a separate broadcast feed for Bangladesh, in which the advertising slots would be filled by commercials aimed at the Bangladeshi market. The channels would have to make this call based on how much revenue they expect to raise from Bangladeshi advertisers.
Govt has evidences on BNP’s hiring lobbyists abroad: Info Minister
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the government has evidences that BNP hired lobbyists abroad to work against the country.
“They signed agreement with the lobbyist firm using the address of its Nayapaltan office. The foreign minister has already taken initiative to inform different government departments and offices to investigate how the money was transferred there from Bangladesh,” he said.
Hasan said this while replying to a question from journalists after a view-exchange meeting with the leaders of Chittagong University Journalists Association in Chattogram Circuit House auditorium, said a press release here in Dhaka.
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About the letter written to the United Nations against Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), he said, “Of the 12 human rights organisations that wrote a letter to exclude RAB from UN peacekeeping missions, all but two or three are just name-only ones. We’ve not heard their names before.”
Hasan, also a joint general secretary of ruling Awami League, said this letter was given on November 7 last year. “Why did it come to the media suddenly after more than two months? There is a political motive behind it,” he said.
He said BNP has been conspiring against Bangladesh continuously. The BNP has been conspiring against the country by hiring lobbyist firms, investing their illicit money in lobbyist firms, tarnishing the image of the country, disrupting export trade, and hindering the prosperity of the country, he said.
"In fact, the BNP has no confidence in the people. So, they have chosen the path of conspiracy and hiring lobbyist firms abroad is one of the main tools of that conspiracy," he said.
He said now a question has come here that whether a political party, which hatches such conspiracy against the country, should get rights to do politics in the country.
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About the TIB statement over the proposed EC formation law, the minister said TIB works on corruption, but it (the proposed law) has no relation with corruption.
“By making this statement on a political issue, TIB has proved that it works for political purposes. There is a similarity between TIB’s statement and BNP’s statements. It has proved that TIB often acts as a political tool. I have been surprised, seeing the statement of TIB on a political issue,” he said.
Hasan said most of the political parties that participated in talks with the President suggested enactment of a law over the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. “In this context, the government has taken initiative to enact a law. The entire issue is a political one,” he said.
IPTVs, YouTube channels shouldn’t air news: Info Minister
Deputy Commissioners have been asked to strengthen monitoring to prevent the airing of news through IPTVs and YouTube channels as per the National Broadcast Policy, said the Information Minister.
“But news is still being broadcast through IPTVs (Internet Protocol Televisions). Regular news bulletins are being presented and broadcast through YouTube channels. But this can’t be allowed as per our Broadcast Policy,” Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday.
The minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a session on the third day of the DCs' Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
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The minister urged the DCs to remain alert and take effective action in this regard as per the Broadcast Policy.
He also thanked the DCs on behalf of the ministry for conducting mobile court drives to ensure airing of Clean Feed foreign TV channels since October last year.
“I asked them to keep eyes on it so that those who run the cable network shouldn’t broadcast any programmes or advertisements as a local channel,” the minister said.
About spreading propaganda through social media, Hasan Mahmud said social media is a large ground of spreading propaganda.
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“If we look at the statistics of the last seven to eight years, we can see that almost all rumors, motivated propaganda were spread through social media,” said the minister.
The spread of misleading news through social media creates instability in the country, he added.
The DCs were asked to remain alert about these issues and take immediate action, Mahmud added.
Mass Media Employees Bill to be placed in JS winter session: Dr Hasan
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said the Mass Media Employees Bill will be placed in parliament in the upcoming winter session of Jatiya Sangsad.
"You’ve a long-awaited demand for the mass media employees’ law. I want to give you good news that the Law Minister has already signed it. We hope we’ll be able to place the bill in parliament’s upcoming winter session,” he said.
The minister came up with the remarks while addressing a biennial general meeting and reunion of Chattogram Divisional Journalists' Forum (CDSF), Dhaka at the Jatiya Press Club.
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Dr Hasan said it will be possible to ensure legal protection for all the journalists who work for the broadcast media, recognised online, radio and newspapers once the bill is turned into a law.
He said some journalist leaders placed a demand to him for outlining qualifications and criteria to become a journalist. “I personally don’t think it’s appropriate to fix any degree for it. Because it’s seen in some cases that a metric-passed journalist can write better than a journalist who has master's degree.”
The minister, however, said anyone can now introduce himself/herself as a journalist while the fake journalists are much higher than the real ones at the upazila level.
He said many fake journalists use press stickers in their vehicles and they are creating a negative perception among people about the journalist community with their unruly activities.
Dr Hasan said he has instructed the Press Council to make a standard to ensure discipline in this regard.
As per the Wage Board, he said, group insurance for journalists and media employees should be there in every media house. “But it didn’t happen. It doesn’t require much money.”
He said the organisations of journalists can focus on this issue as being able to work for journalists is the success of journalist bodies.
The minister also said it is necessary to appreciate the government for its good works alongside criticising it.
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Dr Hasan mentioned that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did many things for the welfare of journalists, including allocating the land of the Jatiya Press Club (JPC).
He said the Prime Minister has promised to build a 21-storey building in the Jatiya Press Club and a plan for it has already been made. “Work on constructing the (JPC) building is in progress. The 21-storey building in the Jatiya Press Club is going to be constructed as per the promise of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
Prime Minister’s former information adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, BFUJ former president Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, former JPC president and daily Jugantar editor Saiful Alam, DRU former president Shahjahan Sardar, JPC treasurer Shahed Chowdhury and CBSF secretary general Shahin Ul Islam Chowdhury, among others, addressed the programme with CBSF acting president and UNB sports editor Md Mostafa Kamal in the chair.
'Poetry recitation programmes need nationwide attention'
Poetry is one of the most significant parts of Bangladesh's arts and culture and recitation programmes need to be organised all over the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said Wednesday.
"Poetry and recitation played a pivotal role during all of our major historical protests against oppressions, especially during the 1952 Language Movement and 1971 Liberation War. To foster the art of recitation, organisations like the Bangladesh Abrittishilpi Sangshad (BAS) and the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) can organise nationwide poetry recitation events regularly."
The minister was addressing the recitation programme "Uchchakonthe Uchcharo Aj Manush Moheeyan," at the BSA's National Art Gallery Auditorium, as part of countrywide recitation events organised by the BAS.
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Eminent actor and recitation artiste Jayanto Chattopadhyay, also the convener of the BAS, and Rupa Chakraborty, member secretary of the organisation, delivered the welcome speeches.
Member of Parliament Suborna Mustafa, Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, Mancha Sarathi Ataur Rahman, theatre activist M Hamid and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder were also present.
Poems were performed by recitation artists from Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Tangail, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Manikganj, and Dhaka.
To spread the message of harmony across the country, the BAS recently organised recitation programmes in six divisions – Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Barisal, Khulna and Rangpur. The events featured discussions, recitations and dance recitals.
US itself is an extreme violator of human rights, says Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Saturday stated the sanctions of the US on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are one-sided and invalid, saying, “Human rights is extremely violated in the US.”
The minister made the remark while replying to journalists at a program of the University of Information Technology and Sciences (UITS) in the city’s Baridhara.
The United States on Friday imposed human rights-related sanctions on 15 individuals and 10 organizations on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.
Benzir Ahmed, current Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police and former Director-General of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and six other individuals were among them, besides RAB as an organization.
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The minister said the US also imposed sanctions on Narendra Modi but later he was given a red-carpet reception, which proves that such sanctions are in fact ineffective.
The minister also said that UN human rights experts urged the US government to end police torture and racial discrimination this year. The Guardian stated in an article that 55% of all deaths in police custody in the United States between 1980 and 2018 were "unreported" or "mislabeled," which means the exact cause of death was not disclosed.
Not only that, the world did not forget the tragic scene of a black man’s death at the hands of police on the streets of the United States last year, the information minister said.
“When Palestinian children hurled stones at Israelis, they fired at them. Above situation, the US has not imposed sanctions on the Israelis. On the contrary, if any country proposes condemnation of these human rights violations at the United Nations, the United States vetoes it."
So, it’s very clear that their ban is motivated, one-sided and ineffective, the minister stated.
Read: Dhaka trashes HR violation allegations against IGP, 6 others
However, Hassan Mahmoud said the United States is our development partner and our law enforcement and security forces have been working together to curb militancy and terrorism.
Vice-Chancellor of UITS Prof. Mohammad Solaiman, UITS Chairman and Founder of PHP Family Sufi Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan, deputy Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Dr ASM Maksud Kamal were present on the occasion.
Act right now to fund climate change adaptation: Info Minister urges developed nations
The developed countries should come forward right now in fulfilling their commitments to tackle the adverse effects of global climate change, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hassan Mahmud has said.
He made the remarks at a meeting with Scottish parliamentarians Foysol Choudhury and Sarah Boyack on Thursday afternoon at the parliament building in Glasgow, Scotland.
The minister is now in Glasgow to attend the 26th UN Conference of the Parties (COP26) on climate change.
At the meeting Hasan said, "Although some funds have been allocated from the World Climate Fund for tackling disasters caused by climate change, no funds are being allocated for long term adaptation yet."
"As a result, countries that are at risk of climate change including Bangladesh have to struggle now," the minister added.
He said that under the leadership and encouragement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for climate adaptation, scientists and researchers of Bangladesh have produced varieties of crops tolerant to drought, flood, submergence and salinity with the help of local funding.
In an interview after the meeting, the minister said that he discussed with the two Scottish parliamentarians on how to form a friendship group between the two legislatures and work together on various issues of common interest.
Foysol Choudhury lauded the overall progress of Bangladesh and its leading role in fighting climate change.
Ashek-un-Nabi Chowdhury, Press Minister at Bangladesh High Commission, London was present at the meeting.
Communal violence: Facebook cannot deny responsibility, says Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud has said Facebook and other social networks cannot deny responsibility in spreading posts that led to the recent communal violence in Bangladesh.
The minister made the remark on Sunday after attending a meeting with the Bangladesh National Journalists Forum at the Secretariat.
“The social media authorities cannot deny that fake posts on Facebook triggered the recent incidents in Bangladesh,” he said.
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“We need to think about this as it is a matter of global concern too. We will communicate with different ministries about the matter within this week,” said Hasan Mahmud.
The minister said the incidents in both Cumilla and Pirganj were blown out of proportion due to social media posts, triggering even bigger clashes.
“The one who kept holy Quran in puja mandap, the one who made him do it, those who created a situation of violence without fact checking and the Facebook authority all are equally responsible for this social unrest,” said Hasan Mahmud.
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“We don’t want to control social media but in the past as well the same kind of thing happened using social media,” he said.
Clarity in administrating social media is important to prevent misuse, said Hasan Mahmud.