Irregularities mar ad policy during BNP rule
Distribution of government advertisements among newspapers during the past BNP-led coalition government was marred by irregularities and favouritism, but the information minister yesterday claimed it was done fairly.
However, the list of distribution of government advertisements and payment of the bills placed in parliament does not support the claim.
The list, placed by Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday, shows the daily Inquilab got the highest amount of Tk 7.87 crore as bills of government advertisements for five years since FY2001-02 to FY 2005-06.
The daily Dinkal, the mouthpiece of BNP, published by Tarique Rahman, senior vice-chairman of the party, got the second highest amount of Tk 6.64 crore during the same period. Mouthpiece of Jamaat-e-Islami, the daily Sangram, earned Tk 5.29 crore by publishing government's advertisements.
The daily Khabar Patra owned by former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim, also elder brother of controversial businessman and Tarique's friend Giasuddin Al Mamun, got TK 2.05 crore in four years from FY 2002-03 to FY 2005-06.
In contrast, the daily Prothom Alo, the highest circulated Bangla newspaper in the country, got Tk 2.31 crore during the said five years for publishing government's advertisements.
On the other hand, the daily Janakantha did not get a single inch of the government advertisements during the past BNP-Jamaat regime. The list however shows Janakantha got Tk 82.09 lakh in FY 2001-02 as arrears for publishing government advertisements in 2001 when Awami League was in power.
The list also shows discrimination in distributing the government advertisements among English language newspapers.
According to the list, The News Today, BNP-leaning journalist Reazuddin Ahmed whose editor, got Tk 2.34 crore for publishing the government advertisements from FY 2002-03 to FY-2005-06.
The Independent got Tk 2.28 crore, The Daily Star Tk 1.58 crore, The New Nation Tk 1.65 crore and The Financial Express Tk 1.27 crore for publishing government advertisements during the said five years. The New Age got Tk 1.10 crore for publishing advertisements since FY 2003-04 to FY 2005-06 while The Bangladesh Today received Tk 1.1 crore in four years.
Even newspapers like Good Morning got Tk 60.00 lakh and Capital News Tk 53.14 lakh for publishing government advertisements during the mentioned five years.
In response to a query of Awami League lawmaker Nasimul Alam Chowdhuru, the information minister placed the list in parliament. The list said Tk 129.75 crore was spent for publishing government advertisements in newspapers published from the capital and elsewhere of the country.
The information minister in a scripted answer said the past government followed the advertisement rules, 1987 to distribute the advertisements. “Proper rules were followed in distributing the advertisements.”
In response to a query of AL lawmaker Sadhona Halder, the minister said the government may consider formation of a new wage board for newspapers if it receives proposals.
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