Government sees independent media with suspicion

Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday conferred “Lifetime Achievement Award 2018” on Professor Golam Rahman and Editor-Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam for their contribution to journalism.

The award marked the seventh founding anniversary of the department.

Golam Rahman, a former professor of Dhaka University , was honoured for “pioneering journalism education in Bangladesh” while Mahfuz Anam, “for his unparallel contribution to Bangladeshi media over the past three decades”.

According to the award citation, Prof Rahman invested his valued expertise in state institutions including Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) as the chairman and the Information Commission as the chief information commissioner.

Regarding Mahfuz Anam, the citation said, “In the 25 years of his editorship, The Daily Star has become the country's largest circulating English daily.

“The newspaper remains at the forefront of the crusade for justice, human rights, democracy, and the right to freedom of expression,” the citation added.

While speaking on the occasion, Prof Golam Rahman said, “The state of media represents the state of democracy in a country… Though media in the country is independent, there is self-censorship.”

Stressing cooperation between educational institutions and the media, he said, “News outlets can provide internship opportunities and more access for journalism students to acquire practical knowledge.”

Meanwhile, Mahfuz Anam highlighted the necessity of “independent journalism” for the welfare of the country.

“Among many reasons why socialism was defeated by capitalism, one important aspect was the absence of independent journalism [and individual liberty] in a socialist society,” said Mahfuz Anam.

“Independent journalism serves the society through raising questions… independent journalism has a symbiotic relationship with a democratic government,” he said.

“In my 25 years of editorship, I still haven't managed to convince the government that independent journalism benefits the state. Still, the government sees us with suspicion… They consider independent journalism to be a nuisance,” he said.

“Constructive criticism is taken as an attempt to tarnish the image of the government,” he said, adding, “Without realising that this is for their own good.”

About the future of journalism, he said, “Without Fundamental reforms newspapers will not survive. The good news is even if newspaper [in the traditional sense] doesn't survive in future, journalism will.”