Role of media in Good Governance Bangladesh Perspective

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Role of media in Good GovernanceBangladesh
Perspective
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The role of communications and media is gaining
importance everyday in establishing a safe,
democratic world of peace. Though there is no
magic lamp in its hand, it has been promoting
changes performing some responsibilities through
informing, educating, persuading and entertaining
the mass to a variety of issues.
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Media is essential in promoting good governance
- Nobel Prize winner and former World Bank Chief
Economist Joseph Stiglitz
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a development good capable of contributing to
improve governments accountability, more
efficient markets, and more information-rich
societies. Timothy Carrington and Mark Nelson
former Wall Street Journal reporters
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Medias role to have grassroots voice in the
political process for positive change.
- David Strömberg, Research Fellow at the
Institute for International Economic Studies,
Sweden
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? Literacy rate? Per capita income? Reach of
the media? Readership/viewership ?
Acceptance/reliability of the media ? Government
or state controlling and others
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? Population about 140 million ? Adult
literacy rate is 51 including those who can
write their name ? Per capita income is only 210
USD ? Only 10 to 15 mentionable dailies from
capital Dhaka ? Outside Dhaka at best 8 to 10
dailies ? 15 of the total population read
newspaper ? 23 of the readers subscribe it ?
Ownership of television is 14 ? Viewership of
BTV is 42 ? 35 people own radio set and 39 is
the listener of Bangladesh Betar ? The most
popular radio program is Musical Program (78) ?
Private radio channel - 1 ? No community radio
? No terrestrial television channel other than
BTV ? Only two satellite TV channels.
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There is no Independent Press The state owned
BTV and Bangladesh Betar act like
govts prolocutor and produce/deliver biased news
and views. (BBC/VOA) Newspapers and the
newsmen are sharply divided in partisan line.
About 25 restrictive laws jeopardizing the life
of media and the journalists There is no right
to information act yet Very few journalists
have graduation in journalism They are not even
well trained. Most of them have to go through
trial and error. Journalism as a profession has
not yet developed Most of the journalists are
not paid properly by the newspapers/media
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Corruption has become a significant problem for
BangladeshThere is intolerance in politics
society. The two major political parties are
always at confrontation. The opposition party
boycotting the Parliament stays outside in most
of the time with any excuse.The country has a
corrupt police administration.People are
insecure at home and at the workplace as the
terrorist activities are very high. It may be
mentioned here that the government is trying its
best to have control over terrorism deploying
military in maintaining law order situation.
Violence against women and children is still
very high. An estimated 10 to 20 thousand women
and children are trafficked each year to major
cities in India, Pakistan, and middle east for
sex trade, domestic work, and as camel jockeys
and beggars. Most of the trafficked women and
girls range in age is 7-24 (with a mean of 16)
while boys range in age is 2-12. Bangladesh was
the second highest rate (47) of domestic
violence in the world
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Of the estimated 16 million children in
Bangladesh aged 10-14, over 6.6 million are
working children. 41 of this group are girls.
Children are engaged in over 300 different types
of work activities, of which 49 are considered
harmful to their physical and mental well being.
The 1961 Muslim Family Ordinances established
many important legal protections for women.
However awareness of these protections is still
limited among both men and women. Bangladesh is
a signatory of most international human rights
conventions, including the child rights
convention and international labor organization
convention But almost everyday the daily
newspapers come with killings, rape cases, acid
victims the children are being tortured and
repressed at home and outside. It could be
mentioned here that there are eight laws related
to child labor but not a single case has been
filed Limited resources and authority make most
Union Councils ineffectiveThere are an
increasing number of active standing committees
in the Bangladesh parliament, but their meetings
are generally closed to the public and the press
and there are few avenues open for the public to
provide input into legislation or oversight.
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Daniel pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter
was murdered for investigative reporting 243
journalists were killed in between 1992 and 2001
and out of the total amount 176 were killed in
conflict zones according to France based
Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF)Most are
deliberately gunned downed after identifying
themselves as journalists, while many are killed
by the military or policeThe most inhuman,
unjust, striking and pathetic thing is that 95
of attacks against the journalists worldwide go
unpunished According to Abdul Waheed Khan,
UNESCO, Assistant Director-General for
communication and information.
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In Bangladesh from October 2001 to June 2002145
journalists assaulted or targeted with death
threatsone reporter (perhaps two journalists)
murdered16 newsrooms or press clubs brutally
attacked 4 journalists detained by the
authorities Prime
suspects are enjoying impunity From 1996 to
2002 not a single trial was held
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FREEDOM OF PRESS IN LEGAL CONTEXT
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Article 39 (1), 39 (2) fine but . . .
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SeditionDefamationObscenity Contempt of
CourtOfficial Secrets ActSpecial Power
ActPress and Publication OrdinanceLaw and
Order Disruption Criminal Act
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Skill Knowledge on issues not enough
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Ownership of newspaper
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Still with Hopes
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BUT . . .From different angle
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Thanks for hearing me