Govt drafting new policy for online news portals, state minister tells JS

The government is formulating a new policy for the registration and operation of online news portals to bring greater discipline and accountability to the sector, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury told Parliament on Sunday.

Responding to a starred question from MP Mostafizur Rahman Babul of Jamalpur-3 during the first day of the second, or budget, session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, the state minister said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was working on a new regulatory framework to streamline the registration and operation of online news portals.

He also informed the House that the government was reviewing the process of media-listing of district-based newspapers by the Department of Films and Publications (DFP).

 “We are examining whether those newspapers were enlisted following due procedures. Action will be taken against anyone found to have been involved in irregularities,” he said.

During the session, Cox’s Bazar-3 lawmaker Lutfur Rahman expressed concern over the spread of alleged misinformation and misleading content through sections of the media.

In response to a supplementary question from Cumilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah, the state minister said journalists accused of legitimising enforced disappearances, killings, vote rigging and mass killings during the tenure of the previous Awami League government were not above the law.

He stressed that while media freedom is guaranteed, anyone involved in activities that undermine democracy or support terrorism would face legal action under existing laws.

 “We want to make one thing clear—there is freedom of the press in the country. However, under the prevailing laws, anyone who works against democratic values, seeks to destroy democracy, or supports terrorism is not above the law, regardless of their identity,” he told Parliament.

During the question-and-answer session, Hasnat Abdullah raised concerns about the role of sections of the media over the past 17 years. He said journalists require professional security, but alleged that some members of the media had helped create public acceptance for enforced disappearances, killings, electoral fraud, bank looting and mass killings during the previous administration. He sought the government’s position on the issue.

Referring to the government’s zero-tolerance policy, Yasser Khan Chowdhury said no individual—whether a journalist, politician, businessperson or public servant—was above the law.

 “If anyone acts in violation of the law, the BNP-led government under the Prime Minister will take appropriate legal action against them,” he added.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com