Mushfiqul Fazal, UN Correspondent
The United Nations has already expressed its concern about the shrinking space of some media outlets in Bangladesh, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, has said.
He further said that they will continue to express that same position over the shrinking space of media outlets in Bangladesh.
The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General made the remarks at the noon briefing held at the UN headquarters on Monday, while replying to a question on Bangladesh government’s order to close only newspaper of Bangladesh’s main opposition party Dainik Dinkal.
In the briefing, UN correspondent M Mushfiqul Fazal in his question mentioned International Mother Language Day. Commemorating the language martyrs, the day was observed as Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day across the world including Bangladesh as the UNESCO recognized the day as the International Mother Language Day.
Spokesperson Dujarric also highlighted significance of the day on behalf of the UN.
Video: UN
The UN correspondent asked “It is Bangladesh who fought for mother language in 1952 and we achieved that, and that's why it's the International Mother Language Day. And thank you, UN, and thank you, Stéphane. You are addressing these issues rightly.
But ahead of the International Mother Language Day still we are struggling for rights. Ahead of Mother Language Day, Bangladesh Government forces main opposition newspaper, Bengali newspaper shutdown, the Dainik Dinkal, and according to AFP report it employs hundreds of journalists and press workers and covers new stories that the mainstream newspapers, most of which are controlled by pro-government, businesspeople rarely do. So what is your comment on that as the Bangladesh Government is shutting down newspapers, news outlets, one after another?”
In response, Stéphane Dujarric said, “Well, we've already expressed our concern about the shrinking space that we're seeing for some media outlets in Bangladesh, and we continue to express that same position.”
MN/
