Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has proved that it works to ensure the people’s right to information, reports BSS.
“Mass media flourished rapidly in Bangladesh during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina-led government. The Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed in the first session of the parliament of the AL government in 2009,” he said before attending a rally in front of city’s BCS Admin Academy at Shahbagh. Information Commission organized the rally marking the International Right to Information Day. After the rally, a procession paraded different streets of the city.
Dr Hasan said a vast revolution has taken place in the media sector after the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assumed office in 2009. “The government has given around 45 licenses for private TV channels. Of those, around 33 channels are now on-air,” he added. Terming the mass media the fourth organ of a state, the information minister said there are nearly 1,500 newspapers in the country and a large number of online news portals are running.
He said, “We are working to ensure the people’s right to information and the freedom of mass media as well. About 1 lakh applications have been disposed of under the RTI Act,” he said, adding, “The mass media in Bangladesh are working freely.” Chief Information Commissioner Murtaza Ahmed and Information Commissioner Suriya Begum and Information Ministry Additional Secretary Mizanul Alam, among others, took part in the rally.
