The Editors’ Council on Monday in a statement urged the interim government to remove the obstacles to independent journalism.
It said that the previous government had taken various steps to stifle and regulate the freedom of expression, voice of creativity, and the independent newspaper industry.
The council demanded immediate cancellation of the measures by the immediate past government to enact a number of special restrictive laws, including the drafts of Data Protection Bill 2022, Digital, Social Media and OTT Regulation 2021, Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022, online mass media policy, and Press Council (Amendment) Bill 2022, according to the statement.
It also urged the interim government to stop any attempts to impose restrictions on public and private advertisements in newspapers as the overthrown Sheikh Hasina government did in the past.
All the activities of the Department of Films and Publications should be transparent and accountable, while the Press Council of Bangladesh should be restructured and turned into an effective body, said the statement, signed by council president Mahfuz Anam and general secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud.
The calls were made from a meeting of the Editors’ Council held at the Daily Star office on August 10 with Mahfuz Anam in the chair where they also discussed recent developments in the country’s situation.
The council also paid deep respects to the people, students, journalists, teachers, youths, citizens, and policemen, among them, who were killed during the recent mass uprising.
It also urged the cancellation and withdrawal of all cases filed for harassing journalists during the movement and in the past.
 ‘In particular, all cases filed under the Cyber Security Act and the formerly Digital Security Act must also be withdrawn and quashed,’ it demanded.
The council also expressed concern over attacks on the establishments of newspapers and television channels and destruction of property during the uprising.
