Legal and media experts gathered in the capital on Tuesday to discuss growing concerns about press freedom, with speakers calling for unity among journalists and transparency in legal actions involving the media.
Speaking at the SIRDAP auditorium, law professor and Honorable Adviser Asif Nazrul said no real progress can be expected if media outlets show bias.
He stressed that internal rivalries within the journalistic community often lead to greater harassment.
“Journalists themselves become victims because of factionalism,” Nazrul said. “Without unity, it’s hard to stand against pressure.”
Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the Chief Adviser, added that no intelligence agency currently controls the media in Bangladesh.
Still, the discussion addressed recent concerns about lawsuits and arrests involving journalists.
Many questioned the growing pattern of journalist arrests and the surge in legal actions brought against members of the press.
Nazrul responded directly to those concerns.
“When people become insensitive, when some treat filing lawsuits as a form of patriotism, and when lawyers or politicians support that trend, what law can prevent it?” he said.
“The tough reality for journalists is this: in Bangladesh, anyone can sue you simply for not liking your words. No law gets in their way.”
It was clear from the session that pressure is building between the media and the courts. People are asking for rules that defend journalism without ignoring the law.
The speakers all came to the same conclusion: journalists can’t just wait for the government to act. The future of press freedom in Bangladesh truly rests on whether they can band together and have each other’s backs when facing pressure.
