Media must vigorously combat rumours and falsehoods: Mahfuj

On Monday, Md Mahfuz Alam, who is in charge of information and broadcasting, said that the media needs to be very strict about spreading rumours and false information.

"At the same time, people must lose their doubts in the mass media," he said at the Bangladesh Press Council in the city during a workshop on "Prevention of bad journalism in the media and presentation of objective news." The workshop was attended by members of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

The Bangladesh Press Council put together the workshop.

Mahfuj said, "Rumours and false information are being spread knowingly," to show how common they are. During the 15 years that the previous government was in power, false material spread even more.

He said this about earthquake news: "Some media outlets have spread panic instead of making people more aware of the earthquake." "This is sad," he said.

"If the people don't trust the media, anyone can lie to them with any information, and the country will be in chaos," Mahfuz Alam said. To do this, people need to trust the media again.

It was important to him that the media be responsible during the next national polls.

The guide talked about what the Bangladesh Press Council does and said that it is kind of like a court. The institution wasn't working because of the last government, he said.

He said that the present interim government was the one who made the Press Council work. From the point of view of rights, journalists can talk to the Press Council.

In line with the law, he told the Press Council to play a strong part.

Justice AKM Abdul Hakim, Chairman of the Bangladesh Press Council, led the event, and Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farjana spoke as a special guest.

Shamsul Haque Zahid, Editor of the daily Financial Express, and Abu Saleh Akon, President of the DRU, were among the others who spoke.

There were 50 journalists from different news sources at the workshop. At the end of the workshop, certificates were given to the writers who had taken part.