During the recently held Deputy Commissioners (DC) Conference, the administrators of Rangamati, Feni and Lalmonirhat placed three proposals regarding how journalists should conduct their professional duties.
While they claim the regulation is necessary – citing instances of yellow journalism and fabricated reports done to cause untoward instances, there has been disquiet from the journalist community that the move may be a ruse to exercise control over the press.
The proposals by three DCs come just a week after Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah-Al-Noman Sarkar and his staffers allegedly confined five journalists and threatened them with jailing following a feud over recording video inside the office.
Following the incident, the AC (Land) has been transferred from the district.
However, it poses the question regarding the district administration’s behaviour towards field-level journalists and how the three proposals may affect the conduct in future.
Quality control needed to curb yellow journalism: DCs
During the conference, Rangamati DC Mohammad Mosaraf Hossain Khan proposed for a code of conduct for journalists.
The DC said he is concerned about the competence, values, vision and even patriotism of journalists.
He gave some arguments in favour of the proposal stating that there is a need for quality control in these matters.
Rangamati DC said the public can be misled through yellow journalism.
The number of journalists has also increased exponentially as the number of newspapers, television, online (IP) television and online news portals has increased; therefore, a set of modern codes of conduct is needed to develop quality journalists, he said.
Meanwhile, Feni DC Musammat Shahina Akter proposed to formulate a policy for the management of online newspapers.
One of her arguments for the proposal is that there are currently no policies for online portals.
There are various allegations of irregularities against those associated with these unregulated online portals, she said, adding steps should be taken to stop the activities of illegal online newspapers.
On the other hand, Lalmonirhat DC Mohammad Ullah has recommended organising training on media management for DCs, UNOs and ACs.
“Media management has emerged as a special adjunct in day-to-day administration; especially rumours, yellow journalism, Facebook, YouTube channels, and TV channels have increased in number. Media management training is required to efficiently manage media personnel. In this regard, the administration should plan to provide adequate training in the academy,” he said speaking at the conference.
Local administration flexes power, hampers work: Journalists
Many local journalists say the administration uses their powers and hamper reporting.
It is not new that many DCs and UNOs use power to harass local journalists, alleged many.
Local journalists say that the main reason behind the conflict with government officials usually is due to reports about their wasting government money and using their power illegally.
They say, like the DC Conference, the government should arrange programmes for local-level journalists so that they can talk about the issues they face.
Instances of journalists getting harassed in the line of duty by local administration are many.
In 2020, Bangla Tribune’s Kurigram correspondent Ariful was beaten and picked up after a raid at his house at midnight.
Allegedly, half a bottle of liquor and 150 grammes of cannabis were found in his house.
Later, a mobile court was set up in the deputy commissioner's office and Ariful was sent to jail with a one-year sentence.
Reports state that Sultana Pervin, who was the DC of Kurigram then, wanted to renovate a pond and name it after her. The DC was angry with Ariful after he broke the news about it.
Besides, journalist Ariful wanted to report on various irregularities in the district administration. On learning about this, the deputy commissioner's office called him several times and threatened him
Kurigram DC Sultana Parveen, RDC Nazim Uddin, Assistant Commissioner Rintu Bikash Chakma and SM Rahatul Islam were withdrawn following the incident.
Earlier this month, Shafiuzzaman Rana, the Nakla correspondent of Desh Rupantar, was arrested by the police while collecting information at the office of the Nakla UNO.
The UNO office alleged that Rana entered the UNO office and tried to take away important government documents forcefully and misbehaved with an official.
Nakla Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shihabul Arif conducted a mobile court and sentenced Rana to six months imprisonment. Later he was sent to jail.
DCs wanting to control press is concerning: Stakeholders
“The very thought of wanting to control journalists itself is condemnable and it is a colonial mindset,” said Professor Robaet Ferdous from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University.
“District Commissioner is a post that came from the colonial period. In a democratic country, no one can be a ruler. The name of the post should be District Serviceperson or District Manager,” he added.
He further said, “When you make someone district commissioner, they become the king of the district, they become the controller of the district. It is British colonial hangover,”
Professor Robaet Ferdous said the district administration has to come out of the mentality of trying to control.
Rather, the DCs should play a role where the journalist can work more professionally and independently at the local level, he remarked.
He said the job of journalists is to find out the errors in the system so it can run properly.
“It is not that every journalist is good. Many journalists practice yellow journalism and it is necessary to control yellow journalism,” said Ghulam Rahman, a retired secretary and former chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
“But journalists will have to have the freedom of the press, the journalists will have to do unbiased reporting. But is not allowable to publish imaginary stories in the name of journalism,” he added.
The retired government official also said instances of DCs and UNOs harassing journalists is unacceptable.
“Such proposals of controlling journalists are undesired,” said Editors Guild Bangladesh President and Ekattor Television Editor-in-Chief Mozammel Babu.
He said government officials wanting to control the press is alarming.
“Still, I believe that these are isolated incidents. It is someone’s personal opinion, it is not the whole administration’s view,” he added.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist General Secretary Dip Azad said, “Civil administration officials no longer think of themselves as the employees of the state, they considered themselves as the owners of the country.”
“We believe that the desire to control the press is ill-motivated,” he added.
He said that the DCs should patronise fair journalism and help journalists with information.
“Citizens have the right to information,” he further said.
