All stakeholders agree on formation of independent media commission: Zahed

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Thursday said that consensus was reached among stakeholders on two important issues at the high-level workshop on formulating the framework for a national media commission.

He said, “first, all participants agreed on the establishment of an independent media commission in the country. Second, there was consensus on moving forward with future reform initiatives by considering the report of the Media Reforms Commission of the interim government as one of the key foundations, he mentioned.”

He shared these while briefing journalists after the workshop held at a city hotel on Thursday.

Zahed stated, “a wide range of issues were discussed, including how the commission will be formed, what its scope of work will be, and what jurisdiction it will have. These matters will continue to be discussed in the future."

About considering the interim government’s commission report, the adviser said that it does not mean the report will be adopted entirely.

“Since the commission worked extensively and consulted a wide range of stakeholders to produce a comprehensive report, we will move forward by giving that report the highest level of consideration. Consensus was also reached on this matter today,” he said.

“Beyond these two major decisions, discussions were also held with journalists’ organisations, newspaper owners’ associations, and other stakeholders on various smaller issues related to making the media environment more independent and free,” the adviser added.

Representatives of the National Editors Council, Editors’ Council, Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), Television Editors Council, Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO), National Media Watch Council, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), Broadcast Journalists Center (BJC), Photo Journalists Association, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust, as well as television owners, editors, representatives of private organisations, and leading media experts of the country, attended the workshop.