Minister: No journalist will be harassed unnecessarily

No journalist will be harassed without any cause, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said.

His remarks came while exchanging views with journalist leaders at his office at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, DBC 24/7 NEWS Chairman Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist (BFUJ) former president Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, former secretary generals Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and Omar Faruque, Dhaka Union of Journalist (DUJ) President Quddus Affrad and General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu, among others, were present in the meeting.

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After the meeting, Hasan replied to different queries to reporters saying the journalist leaders came here to discuss the issue of seeking bank account details of journalists.

"The discussions were held in a very amicable environment," he added.

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The minister said the government can seek anyone's bank details. "But it is a concern that why the bank details were sought in the name of organizations. I've told them that I will look into the matter as none will be harassed unnecessarily," said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

"They (journalists) also requested to keep an eye so that any misunderstanding cannot take place between the government and journalists regarding seeking of the bank details... I also requested them," he said.

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The minister said Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is journalists-friendly as she has taken many welfare-oriented schemes for the community (journalists).

She has established the journalists' welfare trust, gave allocation for constructing the building of Jatiya Press Club, assisted journalists during the COVID-19 situation and gave Tk10 crore as grant to the trust, he added.

Mentioning that the premier always enquires about journalists, Hasan urged all to remain alert as none could create distance between the government and journalists.