Tk 10 lakh fine max, if journo engages in illegal activity
Law being amended, says Press Council chairman
A law is being amended with a provision of fining up to a maximum of Tk 10 lakh if journalists are involved in any illegal or criminal activity, said Justice Nizamul Huq Nasim, chairman of Bangladesh Press Council.
He said this while addressing a certificate awarding ceremony of training for journalists held at Rajshahi Circuit House on Tuesday. He said the draft law is now in the cabinet.
There has been a rise in reports of journalists being involved in illegal activities, he said. The Press Council's current law does not provide punishment for journalists except rebuking them for wrongdoing, he added.
So, the Press Council Act, 1974 needs to be amended to punish the so-called journalists who are involved in criminal activities. If any journalist violates the code of ethics and standards, he or she will be punished under the amended law, he added.