DHAKA, Feb 13, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh Press Council Day will be observed
in the country tomorrow in a befitting manner.
Bangladesh Press Council was established on February 14, 1974 by enacting
the Bangladesh Press Council Act by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman to protect press freedom and improve its standard, a press
release said here today.
On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina issued separate messages greeting all concerned, including the press
council and journalists and wishing all programmes of the day a success.
Realising that journalist society would be an associate force of democracy,
Bangabandhu enacted the Bangladesh Press Council Act in 1974 to protect
freedom of press and its development, Hamid added.
The council has also been working to ensure improvement of the standard of
the newspapers and prevent yellow journalism alongside implementing the
endeavor of Bangabandhu, he said, adding, “I hope it will play a more
effective role in ensuring freedom of the mass media”.
Referring to Bangabandhu’s initiative in enacting Bangladesh Press Council
Act in 1974, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Awami League
(AL) government always plays the vital role in flourishing mass media in the
country.
“We enacted the Right to Information (RTI) Act-2009 and established
Information Commission. We also formulated National Broadcast Policy,” the
premier said, adding that a total of 44 private television channels, 22 FM
radios and 32 community radios got approval while 485 daily newspapers are
being published daily across the country.
Sheikh Hasina said her government formed the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare
Trust to ensure welfare of the journalists and the ninth wage board to
improve their living standard.
A 31-storey Bangabandhu Media Center is being built at the Jatiya Press
Club in the city. “I hope media would play a vital role for eliminating
corruption, drug addiction, militancy and terrorism from the country and help
to implement the ‘Vision 2021’ and ‘Vision 2041’,” she said.
“Following these measures, the mass media are enjoying full freedom. All
facilities of getting information have reached the doorsteps of the people,”
the Prime Minister added.