Govt to make list of 'genuine journalists'
Information Minister yesterday told parliament that the government has taken an initiative to prepare a list of "genuine journalists".
In reply to a Jatiya Party lawmaker's query, Hasanul Haq Inu said the list of “genuine journalists” would be prepared by the newly formed Sangbadik Kalyan Trust (Journalist Welfare Trust).
In a scripted question, lawmaker Pir Fazlur Rahman asked the information minister whether the government has taken any initiative to list the names of “genuine journalists”.
He asked how the list would be prepared and wanted to know how many "genuine journalists" were working at the district level and in newspapers.
The information minister, however, didn't say anything about the process through which the "genuine journalists" would be scrutinised across the country.
According to the Sangbadik Kalyan Trust law, passed in parliament on July 1, 2014, there is a 13-member board of trustee with the information minister as its chairman and information secretary its vice-chairman.
Other members of the board are principal information officer, a director general-level officer to be nominated by the Prime Minister's Office, a finance division officer with the rank and status of not below a joint secretary, director general of Bangladesh Press Institute, joint secretary (press) of the information ministry, two representatives from Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and three other journalists to be nominated by the government.
The government is supposed to appoint its managing director who will also act as the member secretary of the board.
The government is supposed to set up a permanent fund for the trust and also to mobilise funds from the local authorities like city corporations, private organisations, individuals and foreign donors.
The law is aimed at ensuring welfare of the insolvent, wounded and sick journalists and dependants of the deceased ones.
In reply to another query, Inu said 1,925 online-based newspapers, televisions and radios applied for registration with the government.
"The country's private electronic media have been enjoying full freedom in terms of telecasting news by remaining under the existing rules and regulations,” he said.
In this connection, the minister said constitutional provisions and existing laws, rules and regulations are being followed to run the activities of the print and electronic media.
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