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Newly appointed Information and Broadcasting Minister Andalib Rahman Partha has said journalists were kept “with their hands tied” during the Awami League government’s rule, while even ordinary social media posts often caused people to worry.
Partha made the remarks during an exchange of views with officials at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Secretariat on Sunday morning, after taking charge as minister.
He said the media continued to provide important reports despite the “controlling nature” of the previous 17-year period, helping people learn about government failures, repression and restrictions on democracy.
Highlighting the importance of the media, the new minister said the press is a major pillar of democracy. He recalled that during those 17 years, people often thought repeatedly about whether they should keep even a Facebook post online.
He also acknowledged the media’s role during the July uprising, saying there was no scope to underestimate the contribution of journalists and others involved in the media.
Regarding his approach to running the ministry, Partha said its responsibility should be to regulate the media, but never to control it.
“We must keep in mind that our responsibility is to regulate this ministry, but under no circumstances should we move towards control,” he said, stressing the need to change a system that had developed over the past 17 years.
Criticising the previous government, the minister said its biggest problem was that when politicians failed, the consequences affected the nation’s future. He said ethical deterioration and flawed practices had spread across the judiciary, politics, Parliament and various government departments, and that correcting the damage would take time.
Expressing confidence in ministry officials, Partha said they had greater expertise and experience in bureaucratic operations than politicians and that the government’s role was to reduce the hardships caused by bureaucratic decisions and ensure that government services reached and benefited the people.
He said the government’s goal was to repair the damage caused over the years, develop a new system and take Bangladesh in a new direction.
Information and Broadcasting State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman and ministry secretary Mahbuba Farzana were present at the meeting.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expanded his cabinet six months after forming the BNP-led government, appointing Partha as information and broadcasting minister.
The expanded cabinet included three new ministers and two state ministers, while one state minister was promoted to minister.
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir administered the oath to the new ministers and state ministers at Bangabhaban on Friday.
Meanwhile, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan was appointed political adviser to the prime minister with ministerial rank.
Partha, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), was elected from Bhola-1 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election after contesting in alliance with the BNP. He had previously been elected an MP for the first time in the 2008 election. His father, Naziur Rahman Manzur, served as a minister during the Ershad government.