Dhaka: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has emphasized that freedom of the press is essential for the protection and development of democracy. “Democracy and media freedom are deeply interlinked and therefore people of the country expect a free, fearless and responsible media,” he stated during his visit to The Daily Star office at Karwan Bazar in the capital, marking its 35th founding anniversary.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the law minister expressed concern after witnessing the aftermath of the attack, vandalism, and arson that occurred at the office on the night of December 18 last year. He stressed that sustaining democracy requires ensuring media freedom. “Incidents of attacks on the media in the past are unacceptable in any way. We do not want such incidents to happen in the future,” he remarked.
The minister also highlighted the government’s aim to foster an environment where media professionals can operate independently, without fear, intimidation, or obstacles. “We want Bangladesh to move forward on the path of media freedom, and all kinds of barriers in this regard must be removed,” Md Asaduzzaman added.
Referring to the incident at The Daily Star office, he described such events as extremely painful and unacceptable. “We do not want a repetition of such unfortunate incidents in the future. These memories are like nightmares, and we are working to overcome that nightmare,” he concluded.