Dhaka, Aug 09 (V7N) – The interim government has rejected allegations of undermining press freedom, stating that it has neither censored media content nor suspended the license of any outlet, despite the spread of “false and provocative” information against it.

The clarification came Friday afternoon through a statement on the verified Facebook ID of Chief Advisor’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, later shared by Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. The statement was issued in response to concerns raised by the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) regarding the state of media freedom and access to information in the country.

“We firmly and clearly reject NOAB’s suggestion that the interim government has undermined freedom of expression or media freedom in the past year,” the press wing said.

No Interference in Editorial or Business Affairs
According to the statement, the government has not interfered in the editorial, management, or business operations of any media outlet and has shown “extraordinary restraint” in the face of politically motivated misinformation.

It further noted that some media outlets forcibly closed under the previous government have been allowed to resume publishing or broadcasting. No journalist has been denied access to government briefings based on their media affiliation or editorial stance, the press wing added.

Reform of Secretariat Accreditation Process
The government dismissed NOAB’s criticism of the reformed journalist accreditation system as “baseless and misleading.”

It claimed the previous system was “grossly corrupt,” allowing pass cards to individuals with no legitimate journalistic role — including politicians and lobbyists — who exploited their access for undue influence.

The interim government said it dismantled the old structure to restore transparency, introducing a temporary pass system for genuine journalists and amending clauses that previously forced a pro-government stance or violated constitutional rights. Work is underway to issue new accreditation cards with long-term renewal facilities.

Job Losses Not Government-Ordered
Addressing reports of journalists losing jobs, the press wing clarified that such layoffs were decisions made by media owners due to editorial or corporate restructuring, not by government directive.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, security, and independence, the interim government called on all stakeholders to work together to safeguard and strengthen media freedom in Bangladesh.

END/RH/AJ