The United States Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller has said that the US strongly supports the role of a free and independent media in maintaining effective democratic institutions and promoting government transparency.
鈥榃e strongly support the role of a free and independent media in maintaining effective democratic institutions and promoting government transparency,鈥� he said at a routine press briefing at the state department in Washington on Monday.
Miller said this as his attention was drawn to a recent 鈥榯hreatening statement鈥� issued by the Bangladesh Police Service
Association, aimed at media reporting on police corruption.
On June 21, the BPSA in a statement termed recent media reports against its retired and serving officials as 鈥榩artial, ill motivated, sweeping and exaggerated鈥� and also requested the media to be more cautious while publishing reports on the force.
Miller said that the US government objected to any efforts to intimidate journalists to prevent them from conducting their work.
鈥榃e object to any efforts to harass or intimidate journalists to prevent them from conducting their important work,鈥� he said.
According to the international press freedom index, Bangladesh ranks 165 out of the 180 countries.
