In Moulvibazar, Shafiqur Rahman Says Some Media Fight for Rights While Others Incite

Some media outlets keep speaking for people's rights while some others incite during critical situations, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has said. The newspaper is like a mirror, he added — the faults of society and the state are reflected in it.

He made the remarks at a view-exchange meeting with journalists at the Moulvibazar Circuit House hall room on Saturday (24 October) morning. The opposition leader, visiting the district in Sylhet Division, sat in open discussion with local journalists.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman said that if the media play a responsible role, the country stays well, and if the country stays well, everyone stays well. Addressing the journalists, he urged: "Keep your third eye awake. The country will stay well because of it."

Recalling the history of the media, he said the press came under attack after independence, when all newspapers except four were banned. The media then gradually regained strength and stood back up. There are now three kinds of media — print, electronic and social media — and all three are working in parallel, he noted.

He repeated that while some media outlets keep speaking for the realisation of people's rights, some media incite during important situations, which harms society and the state.

Turning to politics, he said multi-party democracy was replaced with a one-party system in 1975, but it did not last long. Criticising the law-and-order situation, he said law and order is going to ruin before everyone's eyes, while the home minister, instead of doing his own ministry's work, wants to interfere in every ministry.

Replying to a journalist's question, he said the government, ahead of the local government elections, is making the Election Commission questionable by appointing party men to it. "We are observing the situation," he said.

Present at the meeting were Jamaat's central assistant secretary general Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, Sylhet city Ameer Md Fakhrul Islam, Moulvibazar district Ameer Engineer Md Shahed Ali, Habiganj district Ameer Maulana Mukhlisur Rahman and others. With divisional and district leaders present, the meeting became a major occasion for direct exchange with local journalists.

The opposition leader's Moulvibazar visit had been scheduled in advance and drew interest in local political circles. At the meeting he presented his party's position on national politics, the Election Commission, law and order, and the role of the media.

The essence of his speech was the media's responsibility. Alongside holding up society's faults like a mirror, his message to stay away from incitement has become a talking point among local journalists.

He is expected to join further programmes after the visit. With his party observing the Election Commission ahead of the local government elections, political circles will be watching Jamaat's next steps in the commission debate.