Al Jazeera鈥檚 media initiatives manager Montaser Marai on Friday said the western mainstream media dehumanised Gaza peoples who were killed in genocide by Israel.
He also said that the western media published the number of deaths, but did not mention the killers, and even they did not reveal that the ongoing famine is caused by Israel.
He made the remarks at the Golam Kasem Daddy Lecture organised by Drik to mark its 36th founding anniversary at the DrikPath Bhobon on Panthapath in the capital.
The event, titled Media Genocide in Gaza, was moderated by Drik Picture Library managing director Shahidul Alam.
Montaser Marai said that Israel killed nearly 250 journalists in Gaza, the highest number of journalists ever killed in a war, which is not reflected in western mainstream media because they maintain their foreign policy, instead of journalistic ethics and values.
鈥榃estern media dominated the traditional media as well as controlled the alternative and independent media by restricted contents which contradict with freedom of expression and free flow of information,鈥� Montaser Marai said, adding that only five multinational companies control almost all traditional media of the USA while the digital space was almost controlled by the USA, who control the flow of information from the north to south.
He also said that media hegemony worked in Gaza to dehumanise the Gaza peoples by hiding the killers.
鈥楾he western media mentioned Russian strikes in Ukraine but hid Israel鈥檚 name from the news of Air strikes in Gaza school. Instead of journalism they promote different agenda in the global south like climate change,鈥� he said, adding that the western media also apologised over many issues after the destruction like the Iraq war. 聽
鈥楯ournalism is also an activism where we can鈥檛 hide the truth even if it鈥檚 against us. There is no Hamas in the West Bank and Lebanon but Israel also attacks there,鈥� ended Marai. 聽
Palestinian ambassador to Bangladesh Yousef SY Ramadan said that the Gaza people resisted the war for 702 days which proved that they are the most powerful people on the earth.
After the lecture, Montaser Marai also participated in an open discussion with the audience.