The Newspapers Owners’ Association of Bangladesh in a statement on Monday condemned the Bangladesh Police Service Association’s recent statement that asked media outlets to be more cautious on publishing graft news relating to former and current police officials as unacceptable and an ethical support to corrupt officials.
In response to the BPSA statement issued on Friday, the NOAB said, ‘The mass media publishes reports on different achievements and good work of the police. It also unearths through investigation the information of ill-gotten wealth of government officials by means of abuse of power while they are in responsible positions of the government and publishes it by maintaining professionalism.’
The statement was signed by NOAB president AK Azad and vice-president ASM Shahidullah Khan.
In case of any errors in publishing such news reports, the media house concerned would be accountable for it, the NOAB statement continued, adding that they could go to the people or organisation concerned or the Press Council following proper rules, but instead of doing that they had opted for trading blames through statement.
Referring to the police association’s request to media outlets to be more cautious on publishing such news about the police, NOAB said that it was actually a threat in the guise of a request, which was contrary to press freedom and the practice of impartiality in journalism.
The NOAB statement further said that the BPSA letter had tarnished their own image and gave ethical support to the corrupt officials.
The newspapers owners’ association hoped that the police force in future would help journalists to implement the government’s policy against corruption, the statement added.Â
Condemning the police association statement, the Editors’ Council in a statement on Sunday also said that such a statement was against freedom of the press and independent journalism.  Â
On Friday, the BPSA in a statement termed recent media reports against its retired and serving officials as ‘partial, ill motivated, sweeping and exaggerated’ and also requested the media to be more cautious while publishing reports on the force.
The statement came amid legal action against allegations of accumulating huge illegal wealth by former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed and his family based on media reports.
Most recently, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia has also made headlines over allegations of amassing illegal wealth.
Meanwhile, different organisations, including the anti-graft watchdog Transparency International Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction and Dhaka Union of Journalists faction, also gave statements condemning the police association statement.
The crime reporters association in its statement, signed by its president Kamruzzaman Khan and general secretary Sirajul Islam, on Monday demanded withdrawal of the BPSA statement and urged all to help implement the government’s ‘zero-tolerance policy’ on corruption.Â
The crime reporters association also urged all to refrain from saying anything that hindered press freedom safeguarded by the country’s constitution.
In its statement, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD leader ASM Abdur Rob urged the police association to warn the corrupt officials instead of warning the mass media.Â
The Transparency International Bangladesh in its statement termed the police association statement as an unconstitutional threat that favoured and protected corruption.
The Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists factions expressed deep concern in a joint statement, stressing the importance of protecting independent journalism and freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh.
