Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus said on Tuesday that media freedom is a non-negotiable issue, the interim government believes in the freedom of media and it wants to see vibrant media in Bangladesh.
"We believe in the freedom of media and we want to see vibrant media (in Bangladesh)," he said in a meeting with the editors of some newspapers at the State Guest House Jamuna.
Prof Muhammad Yunus sat with the editors to hear from them regarding a "reasonable" tenure for the interim government, as discussed with political parties earlier.
"It should be between two and three years," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted one of the leading editors as saying.
He said Prof Yunus today (Tuesday) wanted to know from the editors about how long the logical time should be. All editors agreed that the timeframe for conducting reforms should be at least two years while some others noted that the reforms the interim government is carrying out will determine the "logical time", he said.
Alam said the chief adviser mentioned that the student-people revolution created an opportunity for the state repairing and it should be utilised. Prof Yunus stressed creating a national unity to make the reforms sustainable, he added.
About the reform in the state system, the press secretary said, the chief adviser recently held meetings with political parties and the political leaders asked Prof Yunus to complete the reform work within "a logical timeframe".
"Today, editors shared their ideas. The discussion was recorded and each adviser will listen to the opinions shared by the editors," Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said while briefing reporters along with Press Secretary Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir at Foreign Service Academy.
One of the major outcomes of the discussion with the political parties was a reasonable timeframe for the government to carry out reforms before the next election.
The Press Secretary said the Chief Adviser and the editors talked about national unity and laid emphasis on proper reforms.
Shafiqul Alam said many black laws and regulations are impeding the freedom of media and those will be removed or amended.
During the meeting, he said, the editors also talked about constitutional reform and reforming the Law Commission and the Public Service Commission.
The editors suggested making the cabinet proactive and decentralising power, the press secretary said, adding that they also stressed the need for holding a constitutional assembly to rewrite the country's constitution.
About the media freedom, he said, the interim government really wants vibrant media in the country and it will do everything possible to ensure the freedom of media.
Replying to a question, Azad Majumder said there is no pressure on media and they can do their work enjoying full freedom now.
Addressing editors from various media outlets in a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna, Dr Yunus expressed his firm belief in the power of free press, urging the media to be vocal and transparent in their coverage, especially when it comes to criticizing the government.
Yunus made a special appeal to the editors, stressing the importance of establishing a national consensus through their writings. He encouraged them to accept diverse suggestions and to be unflinching in pointing out mistakes in all aspects of government operations. According to him, the media has a vital role in helping the government correct any missteps and ensuring that governance aligns with the people's will.
At the meeting, a major point of concern was the repressive clauses within the Digital Security Act and Cyber Security Act. The editors proposed an immediate suspension of these clauses, particularly those used to suppress journalists, with a commitment to reform them over time.
After emerging from the meeting, Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, briefed the press, highlighting the key points discussed. The editors collectively emphasised the need for sweeping constitutional reforms, including the empowerment of local governments. They also brought up the reformation of autonomous bodies like the Anti-Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, and Election Commission to transform them into truly pro-people organisations, especially the Election Commission so that every election in the future can be a true reflection of the thinking of the nation and voters.
