Govt denies role in Deepto TV news shutdown

Mahfuz Alam, Adviser to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, stated that Deepto TV voluntarily shut down its news operations following a journalist’s question in defense of a genocide.

He made this statement on Tuesday evening during a discussion titled "Media Reality in 15 Years of Fascism", held in conference room of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Secretariat.
The Adviser added that government did not make any such request, nor did it call anyone in this regard.

Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam said, “In six months of holding office, we haven’t made a single call to anyone. A journalist from Deepto TV was dismissed and the news division was shut down. Now people will assume government is behind it.”

Mahfuz Alam denied a report that the government banned the news broadcast of private Deepto TV channel.

Senior journalists and academics, including Kamal Ahmed, head of the Media Reform Commission, spoke at the discussion.

SH