The Awami League has sought the media’s collaboration in portraying Bangabandhu as a universal leader.
Syed Ashraful Islam, general secretary of the ruling party, made the call to the media while addressing a meeting with journalists at the Dhanmondi office of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.
“Bangabandhu is the architect of our liberation. So the media should publish more items on him and his extraordinary leadership so that the new generation and also the world can learn the real history of Bangladesh,” said Syed Ashraf, who is also the Public Administration minister.
The Awami League has chalked out a 40-day programme to observe the 40th anniversary of the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu and his family on August 15, 1975.
The ruling party’s Joint General Secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif and several other central leaders were present at the meeting.
Ashraf said while the party observes the death anniversary of the founding father, the media can contribute by publishing and broadcasting various items highlighting the achievements, life and careers of the great leader.
“However, we do not want to force the media to do anything. It all depends on your wish,” he told the journalists.
Ashraf, son of Bangladesh’s wartime acting president Syed Nazrul Islam, also said: “The Awami League has always been a media-friendly organisation. We have never considered media as our enemy. So, you [journalists] can express your constructive opinions with freedom.”
Those present at the meeting included Golam Sarwar, editor of daily Samakal; Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, chief editor of Boishakhi Television; Abul Kalam Azad, editor of BSS; and Abed Khan, senior journalist.