Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfu3kj Alam on Tuesday stressed the need for a law outlining journalistic responsibilities and ethics, alongside legislation ensuring journalists' safety.
"No journalist can claim legal protection if they are not responsible and professional," he said at a views-exchange meeting titled "The Reality of the Media in Fifteen Years of Fascism" held at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Criticising the role of the media during the previous fascist regime, the adviser said many journalists chose to collaborate not out of fear but out of greed. "Rather than upholding the principles of journalism, they were more focused on protecting the image of the Sheikh family," he said, adding that some journalists amassed significant wealth by acting as agents of the fascist regime.
Referring to a necessary shift in journalistic ideals, he said prolonged exposure to fascism has led many journalists to internalise a form of self-censorship. "This needs to change quickly," he added.
Highlighting the impact of the media on society, the adviser noted that journalists must exercise extreme caution in their reporting. "False reporting is destroying lives and, in some cases, creating social unrest," he warned.
Mahfuj Alam said the government is working to resolve the current crises in the media sector. He also emphasised that media development is not possible without political consensus and urged all concerned to help foster a positive environment for the media.
Speaking at the same event, Media Reform Commission chief Kamal Ahmed said it is a positive development that government officials are no longer pressuring media outlets through phone calls.
Labelling the misuse of journalism as "criminalisation," he stressed the need to put an end to such practices. He also urged the government to implement the commission's recommendations.
