UN Organisations Flag Restrictive Legal guidelines, Political Pressures Undermining Media Freedom In Bangladesh
A report highlighting the restrictive legal guidelines and political pressures that proceed to restrict media freedom and belief in Bangladesh underneath the Muhammad Yunus led interim authorities, was launched by the United Nations Growth Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), with assist from the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh.
The report, titled “An Evaluation of Bangladesh’s Media Panorama: Free, Impartial and Pluralistic Media”, supplied a complete evaluation analyzing each the challenges and alternatives going through Bangladesh’s media sector through the essential interval of transition.
The joint evaluation, performed between July and December 2024, affords a well timed roadmap for significant reform to foster a freer, extra impartial, and really pluralistic media surroundings responding to Bangladesh’s latest political and social shifts.
Native media reported that Mahfuj Alam, Advisor to the Ministry of Data and Broadcasting, underneath the interim authorities of Bangladesh, attended the occasion in Dhaka because the chief visitor.
“Media should uphold ethics and accountability, so that folks’s belief shouldn’t be damaged once more and generations aren’t wronged,” stated the advisor.
Attending the dialogue, Sonali Dayaratne, Resident Consultant to UNDP Bangladesh, stated that this joint evaluation reinforces what should be achieved to safeguard media freedom and strengthen public belief.
“A free, impartial, and pluralistic media is the inspiration of any vibrant democracy. We’re dedicated to working with companions like UNESCO to advance structural reforms, assist media professionals, and lift public consciousness in regards to the media’s important position as a pillar of democracy,” she stated.
Alberto Giovanetti, Counsellor and Head of Political, Financial and Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, stated, “This evaluation is a well timed reminder {that a} free, impartial and pluralistic media is the bedrock of a vibrant democracy.”
“We thank UNDP and UNESCO for supporting this essential initiative and urge all companions to advance the crucial reforms wanted to guard media freedom and strengthen public belief,” he added.
UNESCO Consultant to Bangladesh, Susan Vize, moderating the occasion, stated that the liberty of expression is a elementary pillar of democratic establishments.
“If we wish to construct a society wherein we work collectively in direction of the rules that realise fundamental human rights, and to ensure high quality of life, we should be certain that freedom of expression and the media is a necessary a part of this course of,” she talked about.
Not too long ago, a gaggle of 88 expatriate journalists, writers, researchers, cultural and rights activists raised grave concern over the “continued torture of journalists and suppression of free speech” in Bangladesh underneath the Muhammad Yunus-led interim authorities.
In a joint assertion, the group alleged that since August 5, journalists within the nation have been subjected to unspeakable torture, including that such incidents have “annoyed and disheartened” them.
They additional claimed that efforts are being made to suppress freedom of speech underneath the Yunus administration by “imposing varied official and unofficial controls” on each mass media and social media, denouncing it as “shameful and repulsive.”