Staff Correspondent: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman held a meeting with executives and senior journalists of leading electronic media outlets in Dhaka on Wednesday. The meeting was held at the Leader of the Opposition’s residence at 29 Minto Road in the capital. Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar later briefed media on the meeting. Quoting the Jamaat Ameer, Golam Porwar said Dr Shafiqur Rahman discussed the problems facing people, including rising commodity prices, electricity and gas shortages, terrorism and partisan politics.
The Jamaat chief also stressed the role of electronic media in shaping public opinion and building national consensus, besides reporting news.
“News reporting is a responsibility, but the media also has a responsibility to advance national unity, sovereignty and democracy,” Golam Porwar quoted him as saying. He said the Jamaat Ameer urged media executives to openly share their suggestions and point out any shortcomings of the party.
The meeting also discussed the February 12 parliamentary election and referendum. According to Golam Porwar, Dr Shafiqur said failure to implement the referendum verdict could create a political crisis.
Several media executives advised the Jamaat ameer to make the party’s position clear on accepting the referendum verdict under the July Charter, he said.
The media executives also raised concerns over the absence of a structured salary scale and Wage Board in the electronic media sector, as well as job security and safety issues.
Golam Parwar said Dr Shafiqur advised them to raise the issues through an organised process and assured them of the party’s cooperation. He also said the executives described Jamaat’s role in parliament as constructive, peaceful and constitutional.
The meeting was attended by senior representatives of BanglaVision, Somoy TV, Jamuna TV, ATN Bangla, ATN News, Channel i, NTV, RTV, Ekattor Television and other leading television channels. Several central leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were also present.