Interim government chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Thursday that journalists who helped and legitimised fascism in past 15 years should apologise for their deeds.
鈥楯ournalists who became collaborators of fascism over the past 15 years should apologise for their deeds,鈥� he said, adding that journalism has contributed to take away rights of the people during the fascist period.
Shafiqul came up with this at a discussion titled 鈥楾he State of Media in the Post-Uprising Era鈥� organised by 鈥楩ascism Free Media鈥� at the National Press Club on Thursday.
He urged members of the press who helped fascism to say sorry for their activities to rebuild trust of the people through accountability and transparency.
Press secretary reiterated that the interim government鈥檚 commitment to rebuilding public confidence in the media and providing journalistic safety and freedom was a core priority.
Shafiqul also said that a large section of the media tried to legitimise Sheikh Hasina through branding the students and people who participated in the mass uprising as militants.
鈥楾he government has not closed any news outlet, but rather it has opened online blocked sites like Netra News,鈥� he added.
Shafiqul said that although many journalists wrote lies on Facebook, the government was not taking away the rights of speaking for ideological reasons.
He also said that accreditation cards would be issued soon for the genuine journalists through necessary verification and maintaining transparency.
鈥楾he government will not allow any leader of any party to lobby for accreditation cards,鈥� he , adding that it is the government鈥檚 responsibility to ensure safe journalism.
The media needs a new social contact and an economic model through which journalists鈥� copyright and wages will be protected, he said.
The media has been enjoying unfettered freedom in the last nine months, he added.
Director General of the Press Institute Bangladesh Faruk Wasif, among others, spoke on the occasion with convener of Fascism Free Media Joynal Abedin Shishir in the chair.