From today, members of the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) and the journalists assigned to cover Secretariat beat will be given temporary passes to enter Secretariat.
At a meeting between the Home Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and representatives of BSRF on Sunday the
announcement was given.
A delegation of BSRF members led by its President Fasih Uddin Mahtab and General Secretary Masudul Haque, met the Home Adviser to discuss why the government had taken the decision barring journalists entry to cover the Secretariat beat.
BSRF representatives requested the Home adviser to withdraw the restriction to facilitate smooth flow of information.
Masudul Haque, on behalf of BSRF, demanded reporters assigned to cover the Secretariat beat as well BSRF members be allowed enter Secretariat.
In view of the demand, the adviser agreed to allow entry to the Secretariat from today using temporary passes.
Masud requested the adviser not to cancel Journalists' accreditation issued to them after thorough investigation by the police, SB and NSI.
The adviser said that since all the cards have been canceled, they have to apply afresh as the Advisory Council had decided.
The government will issue new digital press accreditation cards by the Press Information Department, he said.
Special Assistant to Chief Adviser for Home Ministry Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, BSRF Joint Secretary Mehedi Azad Masum, Organising Secretary Tawhidul Islam, Finance Secretary Shafiullah Sumon, Office Secretary Shahadat Hossain Rakib, Training and Research Secretary Faruk Alam, Executive Members Jharna Roy, Ubaidullah Badal, Mohosinul Karim Lebu, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Mahmud Akash, Md Rakib Hasan and Aynal Hossain also attended the meeting.
Among others, senior members of BSRF MA Noman, Amirul Islam, Shahnaz Biswas Yasmin, Md Arif Hossain, Hasif Mahmud Shah, Ismail Hossain Russell and Md Shamsul Islam also attended.
Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mohammad Nahid Islam said all the press cards been cancelled. New press cards would be issued, until then, journalists would be allowed to enter the Secretariat with temporary cards. The ministries of Home and Information and Broadcasting are working on the issue.
Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kamal Azad Majumder said on Sunday that the government decided to review press accreditation cards.
"The government has decided to review the press accreditation cards as it seems that many non-journalists are using press cards," he told a press conference in front of the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital.
Azad said existing press accreditation cards will remain valid until new cards are issued.
After review, press accreditation cards will be issued to genuine journalists so that the non-journalists cannot make journalism questionable by using press cards, said Azad.
