Dhaka:State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury has called on online news portals to assume a responsible role in combating terrorism, communalism, and fascism. He emphasized that their coverage should honor the sacrifices made by the people of Bangladesh in their pursuit of democracy and voting rights.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Yasser Khan Choudhury made these remarks during a meeting with the executive committee of the Online News portal Association of Bangladesh (ONOAB) at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He urged online media to maintain professional standards and improve the credibility of registered portals by hiring qualified journalists.
During the meeting, portal operators presented several demands, including access to advertisements, government press ads in digital form, audits of news portals, and the waiver of annual registration renewal fees. The state minister acknowledged the reasonableness of most demands but noted that immediate implementation of all proposals was not feasible. Nonetheless, he assured the government's willingness to support online media outlets.
Yasser stressed the need for credible journalism and quality content as essential for retaining readers' interest. He announced plans to consult with content creators and online media representatives to formulate guidelines. These discussions will involve the information and broadcasting minister, the state minister, and relevant advisers before finalizing the guidelines.
ONOAB President Mostafa Kamal Majumder emphasized the government's role in ensuring advertisements and facilities for compliant online news portals. General Secretary Syed Nurul Huda advocated for an audit-based system for registration renewal and urged government advertising for registered portals. He also highlighted the need for clear guidelines on ownership succession in online media.
The meeting was attended by ONOAB Vice-President Latiful Bari Hamim, former General Secretary Shaheen Chowdhury, Senior Joint Secretary Md. Ashraful Kabir, and executive committee members Touhidur Islam Mintu, Syed Arifuzzaman, and Yusuf Howlader, along with other committee members.