Dhaka, June 26 (V7N) – Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor, has criticized the current standard of journalism regarding government criticism, calling it “mediocre reporting” that lacks proper facts and evidence.

Speaking at a special dialogue organized by the Media Reform Commission at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (June 26) morning, Shafiqul Alam stated:

“There is no strong journalism being done on criticism of the government. What is happening is very mediocre reporting. It’s just blaming. What we need is good, evidence-based reporting.”

He rejected allegations that the government is suppressing media freedom, saying:

“The government is not controlling the media through intelligence or force. If we make mistakes, we admit them. But then claims are made that the government is obstructing the press.”

Regarding legal actions against journalists, he clarified:

“Black laws are not being used when a report is published. In fact, efforts are underway to repeal such laws.”

Addressing concerns over media favoritism, he asserted that the government does not provide any unfair advantages to journalists.

“If there is any deviation, we call for investigative journalism. Unfortunately, not a single journalist has expressed remorse over the poor quality of journalism in the last 15 years,” he added.

Shafiqul Alam also urged journalists to expose the identities and political affiliations of those filing false cases against media professionals, emphasizing that the media must play a role in upholding integrity and accountability.

END/RH/AJ