ZCZC
BSS-30
PM-PRESS CONFERENCE
AL depends on people, not outside force: PM
DHAKA, Oct 03, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her party would remain in office if the people vote it to power in the next election while it does not bank on any force abroad for retaining power.
“We depend on the people, not any outside force to remain in power,” the prime minister told a press conference at her Ganobhaban official residence on her return home from the UN General Assembly.
The premier’s press conference was also largely featured by the issue of the Digital Security Act while she said no journalist sticking to objective journalism should be worried about the Digital Security Act.
She said if a journalist or newspaper does not publish false reports against anybody or mislead people should not be worried about the law.
Sheikh Hasina said the provisions of the Digital Security Act are the same as they are in the CrPC. Only the use of digital devices was included in the new law, she added.
“Rather, Bangladesh law has a lacking compared to England,” she said adding that like England a provision of punishment needs to be incorporated into the new law for publishing false news and also compensation for the victims.
“Only those journalists who have piled up false news against us and are waiting for releasing those one after another after announcement of election schedule should have to be worried with the law,” she said.
“If anybody has no ill-motive, intention or plan of doing any offense in future should not be worried,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina alleged that many newspapers published false news against her when she was in jail in 2007 and subsequently those proved false. Those newspapers were not even ashamed of publishing false news against her, she said.
All those cases filed against her for purchasing MIG, Frigate and in connection with the Padma Bridge proved baseless. But some newspapers very enthusiastically published fabricated news, she added.
Those newspapers did not take our mental pain and harassment into consideration, she said adding that “journalists are worried, but who will look into our worries?”
Sheikh Hasina said her government has repealed the provision of arresting journalists without warrants for publishing reports.
The prime minister hosted the press conference on her visit to New York to attend the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. However, all contemporary issues, including the coming election, Rohingya repatriation and cyber security came up for queries.
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