He made this comment in response to a question from journalists at a press conference organized on the progress of various government activities at the conference room of the Department of Information (PID) in the Secretariat on Tuesday (June 30).
Zahed Ur Rahman said, according to the court's directive, there is a ban on broadcasting Sheikh Hasina's speeches. However, some media outlets are not following that directive.
He said, “Broadcasting Sheikh Hasina's speeches is directly prohibited in Bangladesh. Not only because she is a convicted accused, but there is a clear court ban. But some of our media outlets are not following that directive. This is a reality.”
The information advisor said that the government will initially warn the concerned media outlets about this matter. Additionally, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will formally call upon them to refrain from such broadcasts.
He said, “We are not taking a strict stance at this moment. However, we are calling upon the media to be respectful of the court's directive. We hope they will behave responsibly and refrain from such broadcasts.”
Earlier, when asked about some media not following a similar call from the Home Minister, Zahed Ur Rahman said the government will again talk to the concerned parties about this matter. If necessary, the possibility of taking necessary measures in the future may also be considered.
However, he said, in the current age of information technology, speeches published in foreign media or online platforms reach people. Therefore, there is also discussion about how possible it is to fully control all types of information.
The information advisor further said, “As long as the court does not withdraw this ban, broadcasting such speeches is inappropriate. I hope the country's media will play a responsible role with respect for the law.”
