The post-July media landscape we envisioned is now becoming visible: Nahid

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Government interference in the media has significantly decreased compared to the past, said Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and former information adviser.

He made these remarks on Sunday (May 4) at a discussion event organized by the Editors’ Council at the National Press Club, marking World Press Freedom Day. He added, Whenever we talk about the media, it inevitably invites both praise and criticism. This was true during the tenure of the previous government as well — even when I served as an adviser.

Nahid said, For the past 16 years, the fascist regime implemented a policy of politicization across various institutions, and the media was no exception. Therefore, we need a clear roadmap to liberate the media from this fascism. If the media does not break free from the dominance it was subjected to in the past, it won’t be possible to ensure the free media environment we envision in the post-July era.

The former adviser also noted that during the interim government’s tenure, we saw the publication of misinformation in various media outlets. Media institutions must act more professionally in this regard, as we, as a political party or force, were victims of it. Our statements were often misrepresented.

He continued, We hope the relationship between the media and political parties will become more constructive. The implementation of the Media Reform Commission’s recommendations has been unnecessarily delayed. These recommendations should be implemented swiftly. Only then can we say that the media environment we hoped for after July is beginning to take shape.

Nahid also emphasized that the issue of media ownership needs to be more transparent. Many media outlets are controlled by corporate entities or specific groups, which often use them to serve narrow political agendas rather than the public interest. Therefore, we need a clear policy on how many media outlets can be owned under corporate ownership.

He further said, The media has faced government pressure at various times. However, I believe that the extent of government interference has now decreased significantly — even during my time, it was quite minimal. We are not in favor of shutting down any media outlet. But we have spoken out against the fascist tendencies that exist within some media entities.