‘Govt to form task force for newspapers’

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam yesterday said the government will form a task force for the development of newspaper industries.

"The task force will transparently find out actual circulation of the newspapers, take steps for implementing the wage board awards and fix the advertisement rates for the overall development of newspaper industry," he said.

The information adviser said this at a meeting with the stakeholders of Department of Films and Publications (DFP) at the ministry.

Stressing the importance of the newspapers to follow the government policies, he said government facilities and advertisements will be available for the newspapers that will follow the government policies.

Tax return of the mass media organisations should also be verified, he noted.

Mahfuz said the government does not want to terminate publication of any newspaper. However, it's required for all newspapers to ensure transparency at every level.

He also said an environment of competition must be created among newspapers.

Mahfuz said many ministers and parliament members became owner of mass media in various ways during the regime of last fascist government. The present condition of those media should be examined and necessary steps should be taken, he added.

At the meeting, Media Reform Commission chief Kamal Ahmed said the government should not patronise those newspapers which are "out of the competition".

He stressed making separate policy for English newspapers.

Director General of the DFP Khaleda Begum said the newspaper audit system needs to be reformed. She sought cooperation of all concerned to allow the DFP to work freely and transparently.

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farjana, Media Reform Commission Member and Dhaka University Mass Communication and Journalism Department faculty Prof Giti Ara Nasrin, Jatiya Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, Daily Manabzamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, DUJ President Shahidul Islam, Prothom Alo Executive Editor Sajjad Sharif, Daily Dinkal Managing Editor Shimul Biswas, Daily Naya Diganta Executive Editor Masumur Rahman Khalili and representatives of various media houses and government officials were present.