Dhaka, March 15, 2026 :
Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said that the government is preparing an up-to-date roadmap to ensure the professional status, salary structure and overall security of journalists. Seeking the suggestions and cooperation of journalist leaders to solve all professional problems, the minister said, “We want to unravel the tangle of mountainous problems by creating an effective roadmap.”

He said these things in the chief guest’s speech at an exchange meeting after Iftar and Doa Mahfil organized by Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association (CRAB) at Dhaka Reporters Unity today.

Regarding the Wage Board and occupational risks of journalists, the Minister said, “There are some legal and business restrictions in implementing the Wage Board or ensuring the safety of journalists.”

In many cases the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting does not have direct law enforcement powers. We identify these limitations. If necessary, this problem will be permanently resolved by re-evaluating the ‘Rules of Business’ and timely reforming the Ministry of Information. Regarding digital rights, he said, “In the current era, beyond food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education, digital services have entered into the fundamental rights of people. Since our government is business minded, we want to understand the disease first by going deep into the problem.

Regarding the modernization of BTV and Betar, the minister said, ‘BTV is considered by some as Saheb-BB-Golam’s box. I have my own question as to whether or not anyone actually listens to the radio.

But community radio is very strong in the world. So digital empowerment is needed to provide service at every moment. Regarding protecting the professionalism of journalism, the minister said, “Complaints are coming from the genuine journalists that many are doing unethical work under the guise of journalism.” By removing these chaos, there will be an exchange of views with the owners and journalist unions to protect the rights of real journalists.

He further said that to ensure free flow of information, only what ‘can’t be disseminated’ should be specified, everything else would be open for dissemination. CRAB president Mirza Mehdi Tamal presided over the program and general secretary MM Badsha.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Obaidur Rahman Shaheen, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) President Abu Saleh Akand, General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohail and Journalist Welfare Trust Managing Director Bachir Jamal spoke on the occasion among others.

Also present on the occasion were our Editor-in-Chief and Daily Business File Advisor Khan Muhomod Jusfiqur Rahman, senior journalists working in various media and CRAB members were present.