Staff Correspondent:

BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Saturday has pledged to constitute a commission to ensure free and transparent journalism.

“Journalism in Bangladesh was completely devastated during the fascist era. BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has always been vocal in favour of independent journalism. A commission will be formed to ensure press freedom if BNP returns to power,” he said.

Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Journalism during fascist regime and present situation’ at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), he alleged that the ruling Awami League has destroyed journalism in Bangladesh over the past 15 years.

Khosru mentioned that many journalists were forced to leave the country as they could not survive in the hostile environment, while others abandoned the profession altogether. “I personally helped a few journalists go abroad since they could not sustain themselves here,” he added.

Stressing the need for a clear division between management and editorial practices in media houses, the BNP leader said, “Just as the Hasina government destroyed the state by removing the dividing line between the judiciary, the Election Commission and Parliament, it also destroyed journalism by removing the dividing line between media management and journalists.”

He said democracy cannot flourish without political democracy, economic democracy and freedom of expression.

Referring to a cartoon of Tarique Rahman drawn after August 5, Khosru said, “Instead of being angry or critical, Tarique himself shared it and praised the cartoonist. This is what respect for free media and freedom of expression looks like.”

Khosru advised journalists to remain objective in their reporting regardless of their personal political ideals.