Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmood said the Digital Security Act will not create any problems for honest journalists.
“Carry on with your jobs. We will protect you.If you remain silent, corruption will not stop and the country will not develop,” he said.
The anti-graft watchdog chief made the remarks while distributing certificatesto journalists who took part in a three day training program on investigative reporting at the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) in Dhaka on Tuesday. The training program, organized for members of Reporters Against Corruption (RAC), began on Sunday, October 14, and ended on October 16.
“Donot be disheartened by the Digital Security Act. You will not be gagged. Continue your duties for the next generation, like the freedom fighters who brought liberation to Bangladesh. Otherwise, we will not be able to achieve our vision of a Golden Bengal,” Mahmood said.
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The Digital Security Act 2018 was passed by parliament on September 19, amid concerns that the law could be used to restrict freedom of expression.
Also addressing Tuesday’s certificate distribution ceremony, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad criticized members of the Editors’ Council for organizing a human chain in the demand for changes to the act.
“Why is it that not all members of the Editors’ Council took part in the human chain? The protesters had ulterior motives,” he said.
“Believe in our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She is the daughter of Bangabandhu. All world leaders appreciate her for her activities. The PM said there is no cause for fear among those who practice real journalism. Young journalists will not face problems because of the Digital Security Act,” the BSS chief editor added.
PIB Director GeneralMd Shah Alamgir said: “I have a lot of experience in journalism. No law can stop the activities of journalists. An act can never impede good work.”
“Journalists are like watchdogs that protect our homes. The country is free from corruption due to the write ups of journalists. Only journalists can check discrepancies in society and the country. The country will not flourish if journalists stay silent,” he added.
Md Saiful Alam Chowdhury, associate professor of themass communication and journalism department of Dhaka University, conducted the first day of training, while Julfikar Ali Manik of the New York Times conducted the second day.
