Staff Correspondent:

The United Nations will oversee an investigation into the state of journalism in Bangladesh over the past 15 years, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Saturday (July 5).

Speaking at a meeting, organised by the Broadcast Journalist Center (BJC), in Dhaka, Shafiqul stated that journalism during the previous government had been heavily controlled.

“The interim government is actively working to restore and uphold the principles of free and independent journalism,” he added.

Stating that efforts are underway to overcome past challenges, the press secretary said, “Measures have been taken to ensure no agency can intimidate the media. The media now operates independently, with no government interference.”

He also mentioned that the minimum salary for journalists may be set at Tk30,000.

At the meeting, the journalists demanded the formation of a separate commission for the broadcast media, a minimum educational qualification for journalists, and a distinct salary structure.

They also questioned why no progress has been made, even four months after the Media Reform Commission’s report was published.