The Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh and the Editors’ Council on Tuesday in a joint statement said that the ‘unwritten restriction’ on journalists’ entry to the central bank is against free journalism, democracy and fundamental and constitutional rights.
They demanded unhindered access of journalists to the Bangladesh Bank since it is one of the key institutions for a country’s economy.
‘The unwritten restriction on the journalists’ entry to the Bangladesh Bank premises go against free journalism, democracy as well as against the fundamental and constitutional rights,’ said the statement signed by NOAB president AK Azad and Editor’s Council president Mahfuz Anam.
Reporters of print and electronic media have been facing the restriction for more than a month, it mentioned.
The NOAB and the Editors’ Council lamented that protests by reporters engaged in economic reporting yielded no solution since BB spokesperson Mezbaul Haque stated that journalists would require entry pass to enter the bank and could only meet the spokesperson.
Such restriction is tantamount to snatching the freedom of the media and would deprive people from getting the actual scenario of banks, the financial sector and the country’s economy, they said.
Such restriction will cause people’s lack of confidence in the financial sector to deepen further, said the statement, adding, that it would also encourage more irregularities and corruption in the financial sector.
