In an interview on the sidelines of the just-concluded annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland, the chief adviser to the military-controlled interim government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, claimed that the incumbents do not pose any hindrance to media freedom in Bangladesh. His claim cannot be any farther from truth. As recently as on January 24, the media cell of a national intelligence agency circulated a written order among the private television channels, detailing in unambiguous terms what programmes they might air live and what programmes they might not, who could be invited to talk-shows and who could not, so on and so forth. According to an Agence France-Presse report, printed on the back page of New Age on Sunday, the government banned two live political talk-shows of the private television channel ETV. ETV officials claim that the information ministry handed them 'a written order saying that we cannot telecast our live talk-shows any more.' Meanwhile, many newspapers continue to receive 'advisories' over telephone from intelligence agencies. Then, of course, some media outlets exercise 'self-censorship,' which, again, is a natural reaction to the Emergency Powers Rules. If these do not constitute hindrance to media freedom in the chief adviser's perception, we wonder what would.
It is neither unwarranted nor unprecedented for intelligence agencies to have media cells. In fact, we believe such cells can go a long way in keeping the government abreast of popular opinion about its actions and policies so that it may modify its actions and policies in view of the public interests and expectations. Regrettably, the intelligence agencies have thus far employed these cells in a repressive role in their bid to force the media outlets into toeing the lines of the government. The intelligence agencies under the political regimes preceding the interim government also resorted to intimidation of the media; however, they never went to the extent of laying down dos and don's in black and white for the media to follow.
Fakhruddin Ahmed cannot, and should not, take refuge in the excuse that he is not or was not aware of the workings of the intelligence agencies vis-à-vis the media. As the head of government, he is expected to be updated of whatever action that the intelligence agencies take. Besides, he has been informed by senior journalists of such intimidation exercises of the intelligence agencies on several occasions. It is exceedingly disappointing that the chief adviser has not only been unable to put an end to such unhealthy practices by the intelligence agencies but also making inflated claims about absence of hindrance to media freedom at international forums.
We would like to remind the chief adviser in particular and the incumbents in general that ostrich syndrome will not help them in any way accomplishing the task of putting the country back on the path to democratic governance. We would also like to remind him that as an economist he should know better than anyone else that pervasive development cannot take place in an environment where the freedom of expression is neither recognised nor nurtured.
It is neither unwarranted nor unprecedented for intelligence agencies to have media cells. In fact, we believe such cells can go a long way in keeping the government abreast of popular opinion about its actions and policies so that it may modify its actions and policies in view of the public interests and expectations. Regrettably, the intelligence agencies have thus far employed these cells in a repressive role in their bid to force the media outlets into toeing the lines of the government. The intelligence agencies under the political regimes preceding the interim government also resorted to intimidation of the media; however, they never went to the extent of laying down dos and don's in black and white for the media to follow.
Fakhruddin Ahmed cannot, and should not, take refuge in the excuse that he is not or was not aware of the workings of the intelligence agencies vis-à-vis the media. As the head of government, he is expected to be updated of whatever action that the intelligence agencies take. Besides, he has been informed by senior journalists of such intimidation exercises of the intelligence agencies on several occasions. It is exceedingly disappointing that the chief adviser has not only been unable to put an end to such unhealthy practices by the intelligence agencies but also making inflated claims about absence of hindrance to media freedom at international forums.
We would like to remind the chief adviser in particular and the incumbents in general that ostrich syndrome will not help them in any way accomplishing the task of putting the country back on the path to democratic governance. We would also like to remind him that as an economist he should know better than anyone else that pervasive development cannot take place in an environment where the freedom of expression is neither recognised nor nurtured.
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