Online papers, portals cannot broadcast talk show, bulletin: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Sunday said according to the law, the online version of newspapers and news portals cannot broadcast talk shows and news bulletins.

"The leaders of Association of Television Channel Owners Association (ATCO) have recently brought the issue to our attention that online versions of some newspapers and news portals are airing talk shows and even some are broadcasting news bulletins which have no permission. We've looked into the act. According to the provisions of sub-section 2, 4 and 6 of second section of the online media policy act, they cannot air such items," he said.

The minister said while talking to reporters at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.

Hasan said that video clips related to news would not violate the rules in the digital era. But, the policy doesn't approve the airing of talk shows or news bulletin, he added.

He said the registration of online versions of newspapers without investigation was given on the condition that the news published in print version will be published in online version and it should not be different.

The minister said that his ministry would inform the concerned media by mentioning the section and sub-sections of the act if the ATCO leaders present their written allegations.

Replying to a query over budget issue, he said it is 14th consecutive budget of the government and earlier 13 budgets were placed. And it is seen that some well-known persons and organizations had always made negative comments in the last 13 and a half years, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

He said the budget the government inherited was less than Taka 80,000 crore and now it has been increased eight to nine times and stood at Taka 6,78,064 crore. The per capita income has also increased about five times and it now stands at 2,824 US dollars while the rate of poverty has decreased bellow 20 percent from 41 percent and the rate of extreme poverty has dropped to about 10 percent, he added.

This is the reality though some identified persons, organizations, BNP and their friends did never praise, he said. "Then how did the country forward ahead in the last thirteen and a half years?" he questioned.

Terming the budget as pro-poor, Hasan said about Taka 90,000 crore has been given as subsidy and allocation in social security, subsidy in agriculture, power and gas are for common people have been increased. Anyone can see by searching Google that the inflation in the country is less than many European countries in view of the COVID-19 and war, he added.

He said they are making such statements to create confusion among the countrymen. Even, the CPD has not been able to appreciate the budget for once in the last 13 years while BNP writes a statement before the budget. On the other hand, the World Bank, IMF and the United Nations praise the budget of the country as the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina make the budget for the common people, he added.

Replying to another query over Begum Khaleda Zia's health issue, Hasan said he hopes that the BNP leaders would pay attention to the recovery of her as she had recovered earlier also. The demand of sending her abroad is political and they raised the demand earlier too, he added.

Later, the minister unwrapped the cover of the sixth edition of the book 'Sheikh Hasina o Ghure Daranor Bangladesh' compiled by Shamim Ahmed.