BFUJ chief urges journalists to uphold truth and objectivity.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Muhammed Kader Gani Chowdhury has said journalism is a pursuit of truth, and journalists have a responsibility to uncover and present it to public.
“The core responsibility of a journalist is to unearth the truth, uphold it and reveal it to public,” he said while emphasising the need for pursuing objective journalism for the cause of greater national interest.
In this connection, he said, “Without truth, there is no trust, and without trust, democracy cannot survive,” Gani Chowdhury said while exchanging views with the members of New York Bangladesh Press Club in Jackson Heights, New York, on Tuesday night (local time).
The event, organised by New York Bangladesh Press Club, brought together journalists visiting the US from Bangladesh for the UN General Assembly session and those based in New York.
Noting that journalism must be grounded entirely in truth, Gani Chowdhury said there is no room for falsehoods or half-truth, and there is no scope for compromise in journalism.
Newspapers are accountable to no one but the country’s people, he said, adding that revealing the truth should be the motto of journalism.
“We must remember that people hate the journalism of slavery...Over the past 17 years, we witnessed many journalists engaging in such subservient journalism. This prolonged the fascist regime and tarnished the dignity of the journalists,” the BSS chief editor said.
Pointing out that the 2024 mass uprising starkly demonstrated this reality, he said, “We saw that those who practiced journalism under a partisan banner for years - colluded with power and sacrificing the public interest - could not ultimately escape the rage of the people.”
He said some fled the country, while others ended up in jail as accused in murder cases and many remain in hiding.
“This reality presents us with an undeniable truth: journalism cannot survive on a partisan basis. Losing public trust spells the death of journalism. Journalism is not a profit-driven business but a noble profession,” Gani Chowdhury said.
The BFUJ secretary general said the path of journalism has never been easy or smooth.
If the ongoing favourable atmosphere continues in media, journalists will be able to reveal more truth, he said.
“However, simply writing whatever one wishes is not journalism. Freedom of speech does not mean saying whatever comes to mind. Alongside freedom, journalists should also remember their responsibilities,” he added.
About the media boom, Gani Chowdhury said while some media outlets fulfill their duties correctly, many lack proper institutional structure.
He said there are allegations that, instead of practicing objective journalism, some outlets harass and blackmail many people of society, including businesspeople, in various ways.
Many individuals claim to be journalists simply by holding a mobile phone and no one is safe from the dire consequences of this trend, the BSS chief editor said.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is even being used to socially humiliate people, he added.
Stressing the need for proper law enforcement to curb these issues, he said laws must be enforced to prevent unethical journalism and harassment. All should remain alert to ensure that these laws are not misused.
Calling for the implementation of a ‘no wage board, no media’ policy, he noted that many so-called media outlets are emerged as they do not have to pay salaries in accordance with the wage board.
The journalists’ leader stressed making wage board compliance mandatory for the media outlets aiming to check unethical journalism.
He alleged that a section of the so-called journalists in these media outlets are involved in extortion and misuses their identity, tarnishing the dignity of the profession.
Demanding safety and job security for journalists, Gani Chowdhury called for the enactment of the journalist protection act.
He highlighted the disparity between government officials - who enjoy various benefits and leave provisions - and journalists, whose working conditions and leave entitlements remain insecure.
The BFUJ secretary general recalled that many journalists, including Sagar and Runi, were killed during the reign of the fallen government.
Noting that journalists are frequently dismissed from their jobs, he said despite speaking up for public safety and rights, they have no security in elsewhere, including their workplaces, and also face job insecurity.
Gani Chowdhury also expressed concern over the divisions within the journalist community, stating, “Today, we are getting weak due to the many divisions among us. The government and media owners take advantage of this situation.”
Urging journalists to remain united, he said if the journalist community stands together, it will be possible to resolve many of the media's problems, and meet the public’s expectations more effectively.
Chaired by New York Bangladesh Press Club President Monowarul Islam, the event was attended, among others, by Nurul Alam Rokon, Sayeed Tareq, Anwar Hossain Manju, Abu Rushd, Farid Alam, Gausul Azam Bipu, Keramat Ullah Biplob, Ariful Islam Mamun, Moinuddin Naser, Mominul Islam Majumder, Wahed Khan, ABM Saleh Uddin, Sirajul Islam and Dr Sarwar Islam.
