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US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen has said relations between Bangladesh and the United States are growing stronger and expanding into new areas, including trade and business.
The ambassador made the remarks during a meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Andalib Rahman and State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury at the ministry’s office in the Secretariat on Wednesday morning.
During the meeting, Christensen congratulated Andalib Rahman on assuming office as information and broadcasting minister.
Rahman said the government was working to bring positive changes not only to state administration but also to the country’s political culture. He cited the broadcasting of opposition party news on Bangladesh Television (BTV) as an example.
He said the government was committed to safeguarding freedom of expression and creating an environment for an independent media. At the same time, he said necessary measures would be taken to prevent the spread of defamatory statements, misinformation and disinformation on social media and other platforms.
The US ambassador stressed the importance of engaging with stakeholders on the issue.
“Over the past 17 years, our experience was not good. However, the current government is working with good intentions to bring positive changes to the way the state is governed,” Rahman said.
State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury stressed the need for effective measures to combat misinformation and disinformation and to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in this regard.
He said ordinary people suffer the most from misinformation and disinformation, while fake accounts are often used on social media to spread propaganda. He also stressed the need for effective measures to ensure that citizens feel safe while using social media platforms.
Christensen said Bangladesh-US relations were becoming increasingly stronger and expanding into various areas, including business and trade.
The ambassador also highlighted continued US financial assistance for the Rohingya population, saying the United States was providing special support in the health sector to help prevent infectious diseases among the community.
The meeting also discussed the Cyber Security Act. Rahman said the government had no intention of controlling the media and was taking necessary measures in a responsible manner and with good intentions while safeguarding media freedom and the right to freedom of expression.
The two sides also discussed various issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and the United States.