Dhaka:The State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Yasser Khan Choudhury, announced that the government is actively working on compiling a list of genuine journalists. This initiative is aimed at upholding the dignity of the journalism profession and involves consultation with various journalists' associations.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Yasser Khan Choudhury made this statement in response to a supplementary question by treasury bench lawmaker Zainul Abedin Faruque of Noakhali-2 during a question-answer session at the Jatiya Sangsad. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir-Bikram chaired the session.
The state minister highlighted that the government is engaging with several journalists' bodies, including the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), and Broadcast Journalists Association, to prepare the list. He emphasized that the government will not interfere with the criteria for defining a professional journalist, leaving it to the journalists' associations.
Yasser Khan reiterated the government's commitment to press freedom and authentic journalism. He stated that the government has taken measures to support genuine journalism and address the issue of fake identity cards and news spread by unqualified individuals posing as journalists.
In addition, the state minister shared that during the current government's tenure, 1,344 journalists have received welfare grants totaling Taka 6.48 crore. Scholarships amounting to Taka 73.26 lakh were also awarded to 402 students from journalists' families in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust, established in 2014, provides financial assistance to journalists and their families, offering support in cases of illness, accidents, unemployment, and financial hardship. The trust has distributed Taka 67.14 crore among 19,321 journalists and their families since its inception. The government has also implemented measures to aid journalists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, ensuring transparency and accountability in the grant distribution process.