Staff Reporter
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, has said that objective and accountable media is essential in the national interest. She noted that objective journalism is one of the expectations of the interim government and stressed that the media must create a space of accountability in the service of the nation.

Speaking as the Chief Guest at a roundtable on the review of the Media Reform Commission Report held today at a hotel in Dhaka, the Environment Adviser said, “Sustainability in media will come only when public trust and acceptance increase. Therefore, in the interest of democracy, the media must remain objective and accountable.”

She informed that the government has already formed a committee to implement the recommendations of the Media Reform Commission. The committee, comprising five advisers, is reviewing not only the Commission’s recommendations but also other relevant issues. “The extent of reform that will be sustainable depends on public support, political endorsement, and consensus within the sector,” she said, adding that “mere paper-based changes will not ensure sustainability; a psychological change is needed.”

Highlighting the government’s commitment to media freedom, she said that this was why a separate Media Commission had been formed. Work is underway to summarize the recommendations and prepare a roadmap for their implementation. Issues such as professional excellence of journalists, self-regulation, sectoral unity, and enabling the media to play a significant role in the economy are being discussed in detail.

She also emphasized that the government has taken a firm stance against mob justice, with perpetrators being brought under the law. At the same time, she underscored the importance of ethics, responsibility, and public trust in the media sector.

The Environment Adviser further said, “If we can collectively implement the recommendations of the Media Reform Commission, only then will they be sustainable. The government will extend support, but the responsibility for sustaining reforms lies with the media itself.”

Barrister Sara Hossain, Honorary Executive Director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), spoke as Special Guest. The meeting was chaired by Syed Ahmed, Trustee of the Broadcast Journalist Center. Among others, Elias Hossain, Member-Secretary of the Center, and Md. Al Mamun, Country Director of BBC Media Action, addressed the session. A keynote paper was presented by Golam Parvez Reza, Executive Member. Representatives from various media houses and journalist organizations also took part in the open discussion session.