ZCZC
BSS-31
COVID19-HASAN-NEWSPAPER
Hasan urges newspapers to publish inspirational news amid COVID-19 crisis
DHAKA, April 30, 2020 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today
urged the newspapers’ authorities to publish positive and inspirational news
items to help people keep their morale strong during the ongoing coronavirus
crisis.
“Expectance drives people to move towards the future and helps them remain
strong in their struggle for life. That’s why I will request the newspapers
to publish such news items, which keep people’s hopes alive and will inform
them that a sunny day is coming after the darkness,” he said.
Hasan, also AL joint general secretary, was speaking at a view-exchange
meeting with the representatives of Newspaper Owners’ Association of
Bangladesh (NOAB) at the meeting room of the Information Ministry here, a
ministry press release said.
Information Secretary Kamrun Nahar, NOAB president AK Azad and its members
Matiur Rahman, Mahfuz Anam, Tarik Sujat, Shah Hossain Imam, Naem Nizam,
Altamash Kabir Mishu and Saiful Alam were present.
The information minister said publishing positive news is an urgent now as
the panicked people are very worried about their future.
He said the government and the newspapers should work more closely as the
aim of both is the same – to move the nation forward. “And that’s why we will
work together to this end,” he added.
NOAB president AK Azad requested the Information Ministry to pay soon the
bills of government supplements and advertisements published in different
newspapers on different occasions.
He also demanded bank loans for the newspapers and stimulus for newspapers
hawkers, workers and agents.
About the demands of NOAB, Hasan said the Cabinet Division has already sent
letters to different ministries, asking to pay the advertisement bills of
different government departments and agencies.
“We will talk to Bangladesh Bank regarding the bank loan for newspapers. To
me, newspapers is a service sector. As an industry, you (newspapers) get some
facilities from the Industries Ministry. As a service sector, I think, there
are facilities here too,” he added.
Later, the information minister held a meeting with the representatives of
Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
During the meeting, DRU president Rafiqul Islam Aazd, general secretary
Reaz Choudhury and executive member Motahar Hossain sought financial
assistance from the government for the family of journalist Humayun Kabir
Khokan, who died of COVID-19.
They also urged the government to provide treatment to the journalists
infected with coronavirus and government assistance for the DRU members.
BSS/PR/MRI/KU/1806 HRS