Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman has said that media professionals should be granted at least four days off during Eid.
Noting that it is not feasible to shut down online media in the digital era, he emphasized the need for appropriate financial compensation for those who remain on duty during the holidays.
He made the comments on Thursday, during a seminar titled "Media Reform: Problems and the Way Forward", held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
The seminar was presided over by DRU Vice President Gazi Anowar and moderated by General Secretary Mynul Hasan Sohel. Shamsul Huq Zahid, member of the Media Reform Commission and editor of The Financial Express, was present as a special guest.
Managing Director of the Journalist Welfare Trust M Abdullah, President of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Shahidul Islam, Joint Secretary Didarul Alam, and senior journalist Asif Showkat Kallol also spoke at the event.
Mahmudur Rahman alleged that over the past 15 years, the government has adopted a fascist approach, systematically weakening both public and private institutions. He said that the judiciary, police, and the press are all facing a credibility crisis. He blamed the degradation of journalistic integrity and the loss of editorial dignity for the current state of affairs.
He stated: “Nasimul Ghani was most responsible for the downfall of the judiciary. How was he placed in a critical position like the Press Council? The lack of protest has deepened the decay. Our organisations like NOAB and the Editors’ Council are part of the elite class, and they do not represent the masses.”
“Amar Desh is not a newspaper for the elite, but for the ordinary people. It will never become a mouthpiece for the privileged. I urge those who run DRU to stand tall and act with integrity. They should not follow political parties in elections. If the media is to be the fourth estate, it must hold its head high. The reforms we are calling for must be pursued regardless of who comes to power. If a future government obstructs these reforms, we must be prepared in advance.”
On the matter of Eid holidays, he said: “Government employees are getting 10 days off for Eid-ul-Azha. If I had the power, I would declare at least a four-day holiday today. But that authority lies with the elite class represented by NOAB and the Editors’ Council. Still, I believe the media deserves a minimum of four days off. Those working online should also receive proper financial benefits.”
Editor of The Financial Express Shamsul Huq Zahid said: “Even before and after independence, the freedom of the press has been questionable. Over the past 16 years, the operational space for media has been steadily shrinking. We demand press freedom and financial security for journalists in a way that even wartime conditions cannot undermine them.”
Journalist Welfare Trust’s Managing Director M Abdullah added: “In the last 16 years, we have not been able to observe Media Day in a truly free environment. While that has somewhat changed now, the question remains—how long will this improved atmosphere last?”
DUJ President Shahidul Islam said: “There was a time when journalists were attacked while collecting information. Thankfully, that situation has improved. However, we also want legal cases and threats against journalists to stop in the future.”
