BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul urges journalists to steer clear of partisanship

Senior BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged journalists to break free from the clutches of political parties, warning that partisanship has blighted the country’s media landscape.

Speaking at the biennial conference of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) at the National Press Club on Friday, the BNP secretary general said: “Mia Golam Porwar [secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami] correctly said that journalists should pay the utmost importance to working with the owners [of media outlets] and the government to realise their demands.”

“Simply aligning yourselves with a specific political party won’t solve anything. Whether it is an opposition party or the ruling party, it doesn’t work. In the last 15 years, fascism—meaning Sheikh Hasina’s rule—has systematically destroyed the media. I would request your leaders to step away from that position.”

Representatives from 18 affiliated journalist unions across the country attended the conference.

‘NATION LOOKING FORWARD TO ELECTION’

Fakhrul said the country was now approaching “a moment the entire nation has been waiting for” as it prepares for the national election in February, which he described as an opportunity to “return to a democratic system”.

But he stressed that democracy cannot function without protecting freedom of expression.

“There will be unity, but there will also be differences. The essence of a democracy is that I may not agree with you, but I must protect your right to speak.”

He criticised what he described as a culture of treating dissenters as enemies and spreading misinformation about them.

‘ANARCHY ON SOCIAL MEDIA’

Fakhrul said that in Bangladesh, as well as other countries around the world, social media has become a source of instability.

“Since there is no accountability on social media, one can say whatever they want. Negative propaganda about political parties, political figures, social figures, and businessmen does not strengthen democracy.”

“Unfortunately, they campaign in a way as if Bangladesh is facing a problem today. It seems to me that they are trying to create a kind of anarchy, a kind of chaos. Mob violence is being instigated, false propaganda is being spread against people.”

Fakhrul said that the BNP was a proven political party that was established in 1975 by late president Ziaur Rahman.

Zia brought about a transition from a one-party system to a multi-party system, reopened all shuttered newspapers, and ensured freedom of press, according to him.

“Similarly, our leader [BNP Chairperson] Khaleda Zia did her best to uphold the freedom of press. In our 31-point demand, we clearly stated our goal of ensuring an independent media.”