Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan today emphasized that no civilised country or society can progress if its image is not reflected in the media. He highlighted that journalism acts as a mirror, essential for the reflection of every aspect of society.
Speaking as the chief guest at a meeting organized by the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust in collaboration with the Barishal District Journalists Union, Swapon said, "There is no structure that would patronise the journalism profession so far. But no civilised country or society can move forward in the world if it cannot reflect every image of its society regularly in media and through journalism like a mirror."
He further noted that a state and society must always be held up to a mirror, otherwise they can veer in the wrong direction, which can be harmful to the people. The main responsibility of this task, he said, is the goal of journalism.
Swapon pointed out the challenge of separating objective information from the flow of information. He identified two types of people using media, both with journalism credentials, one accepting the challenge and the other polluting journalism. He called for a clear definition of the profession to distinguish between responsible and harmful journalism.
The minister also discussed the evolving nature of journalism, highlighting its transformation into data, video, and audio journalism. He stressed the need for the profession to adapt with time. The meeting was attended by various journalist leaders and officials, and Swapon distributed financial assistance cheques to journalists.
