Mohsin at it again
Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali has done it again. He exploded at the media once more. If one were to go by his opinion, newsmen did not have the qualifications to do their jobs.
Journalists are “dirty chaps and of bad character”, he said at a discussion in Sylhet yesterday.
At one point, he told the photojournalists not to take his pictures, and also asked the newsmen to leave the venue.
About the national broadcasting policy, Mohsin said, “Had I been present in the cabinet meeting that day, I would have pressed for making it a tougher one.”
On July 22, he came down hard on journalists, and said a law would be formulated to make sure the electronic media had no freedom.
Making a dig at journalists yesterday, the minister said newsmen did not know how to deal with people, and they always misinterpreted things.
He claimed the prime minister praised the comments he had made earlier about the media and journalists.
“After returning from London, my leader [Sheikh Hasina] said, 'Mohsin Ali has done the right thing. Inu bhai [information minister] is a leader of the 14-party alliance while Mohsin Ali is a grassroots Awami League leader. If he [Mohsin] doesn't defend the Awami League, who else will? He's done the right thing by bashing the journalists?'”
Referring to the broadcast policy, he said, “From now on, you should be very careful about what you write or show … .”
When he was hurling abuse at journalists, they protested. Later, AL lawmaker Keya Chowdhury and other discussants apologised to the newsmen.
In protest at the minister's remarks, the reporters and photojournalists left the venue. They later demonstrated in front of the Zilla Parishad.
Sylhet divisional chapter of Adivasi Forum organised the discussion at Sylhet Zilla Parishad Auditorium marking the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
On August 4, the cabinet approved the National Broadcast Policy-2014.
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