Minister: 210 irregularly published magazines to be shut down

Magazines that are published irregularly will be shut down, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud. 

He said: “I have taken the initiative to close down 210 magazines which are not actually printed regularly but occasionally or in secret.”

He was speaking at the biennial general meeting regarding the development of the Barind Region at the National Press Club on Thursday. 

The information minister said: “No one knows where these newspapers are printed from. With the rapid development of the media, some fraudulent activities have also cropped up. That is the reality. Some are using the media for their personal benefit, some for business purposes. There are many newspapers where the owner is also the reporter and editor.”

He added: “The good media houses are now facing challenges due to this state of affairs..”

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Referring to the country’s development, and addressing BNP Information Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Information minister said: “Whether Mr Fakhrul acknowledges the country’s development or not, today the chief economist of the World Bank and the president of the United States acknowledge it.”

Hasan Mahmud said: “It doesn’t matter whether they [BNP] accept it or not. Their headquarters, whose ideology is inspired by Pakistan, looks on in amazement. Imran Khan himself admits it. We have left them behind in all the indices. Only Mr Fakhrul does not believe so.”

General Secretary of Bangladesh Workers Party Fazle Hossain Badsha, Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League SM Kamal Hossain, General Secretary of Dhaka Journalists Union Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu and others were present as special guests at the meeting.