Media freedom in Bangladesh will be expanded while ensuring accountability through consultations with journalists and stakeholders, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said on Friday, outlining plans to modernise the country’s media governance structure.
Speaking to reporters after attending a cheque distribution ceremony at Barishal Circuit House, Zahir Uddin Swapan said the government is committed to ensuring the free flow of information to citizens while defining accountability standards through inclusive dialogue.
He stated that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting aims to transform media management into a modern and technology-aligned system. According to the minister, existing regulatory structures were formed at a time when information technology-based media platforms did not exist, creating gaps in adaptation to the current digital media ecosystem.
“We have not yet been able to fully connect with the new media environment in the modern technology-based world system and ecosystem,” he said, adding that reforms would be undertaken gradually in consultation with policymakers and media representatives.
The minister indicated that future reforms would address regulatory alignment with digital expansion while safeguarding press freedom and institutional responsibility. He did not specify a timeline for proposed changes but emphasised stakeholder engagement in determining the scope of accountability.
Earlier at the event, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority distributed cheques amounting to Tk 2.17 crore among 61 road accident victims from Barishal and Pirojpur districts. The compensation initiative forms part of broader road safety and public welfare measures under government policy.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Chairman Abu Momtaz Saad Uddin Ahmed and Barishal Deputy Commissioner Khairul Alam Sumon attended the ceremony.
Later, Zahir Uddin Swapan held a meeting with district-level officials at the Barishal Circuit House to review administrative matters.
The government’s media reform agenda comes at a time when Bangladesh is navigating rapid digital expansion, regulatory modernisation and evolving information governance challenges in a technology-driven global environment.
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