Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday said the government had no plan to empower deputy commissioners to cancel newspapers’ declarations.
“The government is not considering the issue,” he told reporters at his office.
Earlier on Tuesday, a parliamentary watchdog also strongly opposed such a proposal.
Inu said President Abdul Hamid had already given his assent to the Journalists’ Welfare Trust Act.
“A board of trustees will be formed as provided for in the law. A total of five senior journalists and journalist leaders will be the members of the board,” he added.
The minister said the journalists who want scholarships for foreign study and journalists in need will benefit from the trust fund. Their security will also be ensured from the fund.
Condemning the statement of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the BNP on the victory in the maritime boundary dispute with India, the minister said they should abandon their negative attitude and tendency to oppose all matters. “They should thank the government for dealing with the issue.”
He said the success came as the present government was very sincere in settling the maritime dispute between India and Bangladesh. Previous governments were not sincere about the issue, he added.
The minister urged the BNP chairperson to sever relations with Jamaat and with militants in order to “survive in politics”. Otherwise, Khaleda Zia would have to quit politics, he claimed.
