State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Wednesday said that Bangladesh Press Council (BPC) could play a strong role against the use of mass media in spreading propaganda and misinformation.

"We (government) welcome constructive criticism . . . but if any quarter wants to make any ill effort by misusing the media, I think BPC can play an important role here (to prevent the misuse of mass media)," he said.

The state minister said this while addressing a ceremony at Tatya Bhaban in the city, marking the Bangladesh Press Council Day-2024.

The BPC organized the function to mark its 50th founding anniversary with its Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq Nasim in the chair.

Arafat said that evidence is available in historical documents on how the international evil forces misused media by spreading disinformation to hatch conspiracies against the country's 1971 Liberation War and made a plot to assassinate Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had enacted the Bangladesh Press Council Act on February 14 in 1974 with an aim of letting the mass media bring the authorities under accountability, he said and underscored the need for making the law time-befitting.

Noting that it is possible to make the space for mass media more transparent and strong, he said, "Our objective is to ensure the free flow of information and expand the space for freedom of press and expression".

Similarly, the state minister said, the government wants to bring under accountability those involved in propaganda in the name of mass media, without shrinking the space for press freedom.

Highlighting different journalists and media friendly initiatives of the government, Arafat said those who accused the government of shrinking the space for mass media do not talk about government initiatives taken for the betterment of the media.
    
He urged everyone to give a befitting reply to those who are spreading propaganda.

Pointing that ensuring press freedom and preventing propaganda are similarly important, he said, "But, we have to remain cautious so that we do not hamper the press freedom during prevention of disinformation."

Speaking on the occasion, BPC Chairman Md Nizamul Huq Nasim said as in the existing law there is no provision regarding the educational qualification of a journalist; the BPC is working to determine the graduation degree as the minimum requirement.

Mentioning that the working area of the BPC has expanded, he requested the state minister to take steps to recruit more manpower for BPC.

Department of Films and Publications (DFP) Director General SM Golam Kibria spoke at the function as the special guest while BPC Secretary Shyamol Chandra Karmakar delivered the welcome address.

Later, the state minister cut a cake with other guests to mark the 50th founding anniversary of the BPC.