Journalists have played a leading role in every democratic movement, said Mahdi Amin, adviser to the Prime Minister and spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office.

He said journalists had shown courage, professionalism and responsibility in the struggle for democracy, freedom of expression and people's rights, and the nation would long remember their role on the side of truth and justice.

He was speaking as chief guest at a native seasonal fruit festival and discussion held on Thursday, 16 July, at the Shafiqul Kabir auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). In a festive atmosphere, various kinds of the country's seasonal fruits were displayed and served, alongside a discussion with journalists taking part.

Mahdi Amin paid deep respect to Shaheed Abu Sayeed, Shaheed Wasim Akram and all the martyrs who gave their lives in the mass uprising. Their sacrifice is an unforgettable chapter in Bangladesh's democratic journey, he said, through which people gained a new resolve to establish democracy, justice and people's rights.

He said national unity, the rule of law, good governance, accountability and democratic values must be further consolidated to build a new Bangladesh, and called on everyone to work together, rising above political differences, for the country's development.

The government's core philosophy is "Bangladesh before all", Mahdi Amin said, and it is working tirelessly to build a prosperous, self-reliant, discrimination-free and humane state. Strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring people's participation alongside development are among its priorities.

There is no alternative to a free, responsible and objective media in establishing a strong democracy, he said, and the government will keep working to ensure an environment in which journalists can do their jobs freely. He also praised the courageous and responsible role of the DRU and journalists in the anti-fascist movement.

Special guest Engineer Md Riazul Islam, chairman of the Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), said native fruits are not just part of our diet but a symbol of our heritage, culture and good health. Such initiatives, he said, would play an important role in increasing the production and consumption of native fruits, ensuring nutrition security and building a health-conscious society.

Presiding over the event, DRU president Abu Saleh Akon said everyone must stay alert to protect the values of independence, democracy, press freedom and freedom of speech.

He said the Prime Minister had kindly agreed to a permanent building for the DRU, one of the country's largest professional organisations of journalists, and called on the authorities concerned to take effective steps to settle the land allocation quickly.

DRU general secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel said that although the media is called the fourth estate, it has no institutional recognition in the constitution, and the state has never thought long-term about journalists' welfare as it has for other professionals.

He said the DRU is the organisation of nearly 2,000 professional field-level journalists and their "second home", and called on the government to find a permanent solution to the DRU's land allocation.

RAJUK member (development) Iradul Haque, National Press Club president poet Hasan Hafiz, former DRU president M Shafiqul Karim, Sakhawat Hossain Badsha and Elias Hossain also spoke.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.